Monster
by sakikui
Summary: Madara botches Obito's resurrection and leaves him out on his own to die, where he is discovered by Jiraiya.
1. It's Alive

**A/N: Hello reader! I was inspired to write this after reading Mary Shelley's _Frankenstein_. It's not a 1:1 parallel, but you might notice some influences. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Masster," said Zetsu, "I have found you a corpsse."

Madara Uchiha awakened slowly. His Rinnegan eyes fell on his servant and the wrapped bundle Zetsu had laid at his feet. "An Uchiha?"

"Yesssss Massssster," said Zetsu. "Fresssshly killed. Hisssss name isssss Obito."

"Let me see him," ordered Madara.

"Yessss Masssster," said Zetsu. Zetsu unwrapped the corpse, and when it was revealed, Madara and Zetsu recoiled in disgust. Half of the boy's body was crushed in an amorphous blob of flesh and blood. "Ohh no," said Zetsu. "I am ssssssorry, Massster. Thissss one will not do."

Thunder rumbled outside. Madara considered. "We must act now," he declared. "Prepare the corpse."

"But Masssster!"

"I said," Madara repeated sternly, "prepare the corpse." Zetsu placed Obito at the base of the Gedo Statue. Madara weaved some hand signs, and the portion of Obito's body that was crushed became wrapped in the same substance that made White Zetsu. Madara focused his energy into his Rinnegan and held a hand sign over Obito. Lightning struck the Gedo Statue, and Zetsu leapt backwards in shock. Madara fell to the ground. They stared at the corpse and waited.

"I'm ssssssorry, Masssster," said Zetsu. "The jutssssssu hasssss failed."

"Pity," said Madara. "We must find a more complete corpse next time."

A moan came from the Gedo Statue.

"Wait," said Zetsu, "what wasssss that?"

The moan increased in volume. Madara slowly rose and looked at the corpse. With a violent wail, the corpse popped upright and grasped Madara.

"IT'S ALIVE!" Madara shouted. "IT'S ALIVE! OBITO UCHIHA IS ALIVE! Speak to me, Obito! Speak to me, my son!" Obito gazed blankly at Madara and grunted. He touched Madara's face and hair like a baby encountering the world for the first time. "Obito," Madara said, "speak to me."

"Ehhhhh?" Obito muttered. He looked at the Gedo Statue and flinched at the horrific sight.

"It's okay, Obito," said Madara, trying to comfort the boy, but Obito pushed Madara backward in fright. Obito stood up and ran away from the Statue, but he screamed when he saw Zetsu, then stumbled over his own feet and fell. Obito wailed and cried on the floor, clutching his own body.

"He issssss ssssssscared," Zetsu said.

Madara scowled down at the boy. "He is a mewling baby," said Madara. "He's useless to our cause. The experiment is a failure. Take him outside."

"But Masssster," said Zetu, "he will die on hisssss own."

"That's the point, Zetsu," said Madara. "Look at him. Death is a mercy for the likes of him."

"Yessssss, Massssster," said Zetsu.

* * *

Obito shivered and cried in the rain. A rabbit approached him with a cautious sniff, then skittered away in horror when he spoke. Obito watched the odd creature through his one functioning eye. He slowly pushed himself off the ground and looked up, trying to find the source of the water. A drop landed in his eye, and he grunted, rubbing the water off his face. He licked his hands, and the water tasted good, so he continued licking himself, and trying to catch the drops in his mouth. A laugh bubbled out of him, and he clapped his hands over his mouth in fear of it, then laughed again. He decided being alive might not be so bad after all. He walked on.

The rain stopped, and Obito looked up in distress. He held out his hands to the sky as if he could will the rain to return. He saw the stars and the moon. The moon enchanted him. It was a full moon, perfect and round and shining in the sky. He sat on the wet grass and stared at the moon. He heard frogs and crickets singing, and sang along with them. Fireflies appeared, and Obito longed to catch the little floating lights and keep them forever. He clapped his hands around one, and the palm of his hands glowed for a moment. He frowned and clapped his hands around another. He moaned in despair. Why wouldn't the light stay?

Laughter met his ears, and his heart leapt. He followed the sounds of people's voices to a place where water fell in droves from rocks into a pool, and in the pool were people. The people had long, flowing hair and soft, curvy bodies. They were beautiful. Obito longed to be near them. He walked out of the trees and waved. They looked at him and shrieked.

"A BOY!" they cried.

"UGHHHHHHHH, PERVERT!"

"OHHHHH EWWWW, JUST LOOK AT HIM!"

"HE'S HIDEOUS!"

"A MONSTER!"

"Huhhhh?" Obito said, watching them run away. He tried to follow but tripped into the pool. Water started filling his lungs, and he flailed and coughed, until a hand pulled his head out of the water.

"What's the big idea?" the man asked. He was an imposing figure with long, shaggy white hair and skinny red marks running down his cheeks like blood.

"Ehhhhhhhh?" Obito coughed. "Ahhhh!"

The man slapped him on his back, and water flew out of Obito's mouth. Obito pushed the man away and scooped water out of the pool to drink.

"I wouldn't be doing that if I were you," said the man.

"Ehhhhh!" Obito protested.

"Geez," said the man, "what happened to you?"

"Eh," said Obito.

"Can you talk?" asked the man.

"Eh," Obito repeated.

"Weird," said the man. "I wonder if you even understand me. Where did you come from? Can you point to where you come from?" The man made a pointing gesture, and Obito mimicked it, and touched fingers with the man. Obito smiled. "Well, at least you're friendly," said the man. "My name is Jiraiya. Nice to meet you." Jiraiya extended his hand, took Obito's, and shook it. Obito laughed.

"Errrrr-ahhhhh-yahhhhh," said Obito.

"What's that now?"

"Er-ah-yah," Obito repeated.

"Er-ah-yah. Jiraiya! Yes, my name is Jiraiya! You're smart too!"

"Er-ah-yah. Er-ah-yah," said Obito.

"Now, what should I call you? You must have a name, but I doubt you could tell me it. Say, let me look at that eye of yours. It looks like it's full of blood." He leaned in closer to Obito and gasped. "It's a Sharingan!"

"Ahhhh-ing-gahhhhn," said Obito.

"Come with me, Sharingan, let's get you some clean clothes," he said. "You've got guts, coming out of the woods. You're a man who sees what he wants and goes for it. I admire that. Might have overdone it a bit, but I admire that." Jiraiya bit his thumb and weaved some hand signs. "Summoning jutsu!" he declared, slamming his hand against the ground. A large toad materialized. Obito screamed. "It's alright. This toad is my friend."

"End," said Obito.

"And I'm your friend too, Jiraiya."

"Er-ah-yah. End," said Obito. "Ah-ing-gan, Er-ah-yah, end."

"Smart boy," said Jiraiya. "I'll have to get you back to the Hidden Leaf village where you surely belong. Geez, how'd you get all the way out here, I wonder? So far away from home. Unless," Jiraiya thought to himself, "maybe you don't have a home. Maybe you were disowned. Poor guy." Jiraiya took a map out of his bag and unraveled it. "Sharingan, look. This is the Hidden Leaf village." He pointed to the Leaf symbol on the map. "Does this symbol look familiar? Do you know what this is?" He tapped his finger on the symbol.

Obito touched the symbol. "Er-ah-yah?" he asked.

"Hidden Leaf," said Jiraiya. "Home?"

"Ome," repeated Obito. "Ih-hen eaf. Ome." He scrunched his face in confusion.

Jiraiya rolled up the map. "Those words don't mean anything to you, do they?"

"Ome," repeated Obito.

Jiraiya sighed. "Come on, Sharingan," he said sadly, taking Obito's hand and pulling him onto the toad's back. He saw the Uchiha crest on the back of the boy's jacket and gasped again.

Obito patted the toad. "Eh?" he asked.

"Toad," said Jiraiya.

"Oah," repeated Obito. "Oah end?"

"Yes, this toad is our friend," said Jiraiya. "Now, hang on."

* * *

The toad carried them to the nearest village. Obito looked around the village with wide eyes. "Ehhhhhh?" he asked.

"Village," said Jiraiya.

"Ome?" asked Obito.

"No, this isn't home," said Jiraiya. "Come on."

"Come on," Obito repeated.

"Oh," said Jiraiya, "you're speaking better."

"Suh-suh-suh-peak," Obito said. "Speak."

"Speak," Jiraiya said, nodding, gesturing out from his mouth.

"Speak," Obito repeated. Jiraiya helped him off the toad and ushered him towards a shop. The toad disappeared.

"Ehhhhhhh?!" Obito shouted, pointing to where the toad had been.

"It's okay, Sharingan," said Jiraiya. "The toad went home."

"Home," said Obito. "Go home?"

"Can you tell me where your home is?" asked Jiraiya.

Obito furrowed his brow. "Home," he repeated at a loss.

"Okay," said Jiraiya sadly. "Come on."

Jiraiya bought Obito some clothes that fit him, a simple brown shirt and black pants and sandals. He took the dirty blue and orange Uchiha jacket and carefully wrapped it in a scroll, along with Obito's smashed goggles, headband, and pack of shuriken. Jiraiya's stomach tightened when he realized this boy had been a Hidden Leaf genin. He decided he better alert the Hokage. He got them some food and a room at an inn, then when Obito fell asleep, sat down to write a letter.


	2. Home

Only a few hours later, Jiraiya awoke to the sound of Obito pounding on the glass window.

"Ehhh? Ehhh ehhh ehhh!" Obito muttered.

"Hey, Sharingan," Jiraiya mumbled, pushing himself upright. "What's up?"

"Ehhhh!" Obito said, pointing outside.

"It's morning," said Jiraiya, looking at the sunrise. "That's the sun."

"Sun," Obito repeated. "Food?"

"You're hungry again?" Jiraiya asked.

"Food," Obito said confidently.

Jiraiya groaned. "Okay, we'll go get breakfast. But then I'm going back to sleep," Jiraiya said.

"Sleep," said Obito.

"Yeah, sleep, the thing I haven't gotten any of recently," said Jiraiya, getting out of bed and throwing on a shirt. "Alright, come on."

"Come on," Obito repeated. "Food."

They went to the shop next door for miso. Jiraiya ordered them each a bowl, and when the cook brought their food, Obito ripped it out of the cook's hand to start slurping it down.

"Ahhhh!" Obito cried, dropping the bowl and fanning his mouth.

"It's hot," said Jiraiya.

"Hot hot hot hot hot!" Obito repeated.

"What's up with him?" asked the cook.

"Not so sure, really," said Jiraiya. "I found him like this. I think he was in some sort of accident."

Obito was soaking up the spilled soup with a napkin and sucking the broth until the napkin dissolved in his mouth, and he ate it. He took a bigger wad of napkins and soaked it in his broth.

A small toad appeared beside Jiraiya.

"Toad!" Obito exclaimed gleefully.

"Message from the Hokage," said the toad, and he opened his mouth. A small scroll peeped out. Jiraiya pulled the scroll out of the toad and unrolled it.

Jiraiya,

The jacket and goggles belong to Obito Uchiha, a member of team Minato. Obito died on a mission last week. Please bring the boy you found to Konoha so we can assess him.

Hiruzen Sarutobi

Third Hokage of Konohagakure

Jiraiya crumpled up the scroll and put it in his pocket. He looked at his companion. "Obito?"

"Ehhh?" asked Obito.

"Obito. Is this your name?"

"Obi?" he asked.

"Toh," Jiraiya finished.

"Tohhhh-bee. Name?"

"My name is Jiraiya."

"Jiraiya," Obito repeated.

"And your name is?"

"My name...Tobi," said Obito.

"Tobi," Jiraiya said. "Maybe that was your nickname. Tobi?"

"My name is Tobi," said Obito confidently.

* * *

Jiraiya decided he'd take his time bringing Obito to Konoha. He thought that the more language Obito acquired, the more he might be able to learn about Obito. However, it became increasingly clear that Obito had no recollection of his past life and merely parroted everything Jiraiya said.

"Where do the toads go?" Obito asked one day when they'd arrived at a new town.

"They go home, to Mount Myoboku," Jiraiya answered.

"Home," repeated Obito. "I don't understand home. What is?"

"Home is where you live," said Jiraiya.

Obito furrowed his brow. "Live? I live here." He patted the ground.

"Well, yes," said Jiraiya, "but a home is a safe place you can always go, and where you keep all your stuff, and where you sleep at night."

"Home?" Obito asked, pointing at an inn.

"No," said Jiraiya. "A home is permanent."

"Permanent?" he asked.

"Home doesn't change," said Jiraiya. "Permanent. Doesn't go away, doesn't change."

"Toad not permanent," said Obito. "Home permanent. Toad go home. I have no home. Where is Jiraiya home?"

"The Hidden Leaf Village is my home. That's where we're going."

"Home. Be my home too?"

"Yes," said Jiraiya. "The Hidden Leaf can also be your home."

"Home," Obito said happily. "Jiraiya home is my home. Where Jiraiya go, I go. Jiraiya is my home."

Jiraiya's heart melted. He extended his arms to hug his strange little friend, when a kunai whizzed between them, grazing Obito's arm. Obito screamed and fell to his knees. Jiraiya turned to the attackers, a pair of black-cloaked ninja with most of their faces obscured by masks.

"We don't want you," said one. "We want the boy."

"What's he to you?" asked Jiraiya.

"He possesses a Sharingan," said the other. "Just hand him over, and nobody gets hurt."

"Well, then I guess someone's just going to have to get hurt," said Jiraiya. "RASENGAN!"

Jiraiya produced a ball of blue light in his palm and slammed it into the first ninja, knocking him out cold. The second tried to stab Jiraiya in the back with a kunai, and Jiraiya kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying across the street. They surrendered. Jiraiya returned to the crying Obito, who shrieked when Jiraiya approached.

"Don't hurt me!" Obito cried.

"No no no no no," said Jiraiya, "I would never hurt you."

"You hurt them," said Obito. "You hurt them with your ball of light. It was beautiful, but then you used it to hurt them."

"I hurt them because they hurt you," said Jiraiya. "They wanted to take you and hurt you more. I was protecting you. I will always protect you."

"Protect me? Hurting them protected me?" said Obito.

"Yes," said Jiraiya. "Come on, Tobi." He helped Obito to his feet.

"Are you going to hurt more people?" asked Obito.

"No, Tobi," said Jiraiya. "I don't want to hurt anyone. But sometimes I have to. That's the way this world works." He took out his first aid kit to tend to Obito's kunai wound. "I'm a shinobi, Tobi. A shinobi is someone who has special skills they use in combat to protect other people from harm. Because I have these skills, I have a responsibility to use them for good. Understand?"

Obito nodded, but Jiraiya saw the fear in his eye, a fear that never fully left him.

* * *

"Here we are, Tobi. The Hidden Leaf Village," said Jiraiya.

"Home!" Obito exclaimed.

"Yes," said Jiraiya. "You will be safe here."

"Village protect me?" asked Obito.

"Yes," said Jiraiya. "This is a shinobi village. It's full of other people like me."

"Shinobi village," repeated Obito. "Home."

Hiruzen had gathered Minato and some members of ANBU to be present when Jiraiya brought Obito into the Village. Jiraiya's toad transported them straight to the Hokage's office.

Obito whimpered and hid behind Jiraiya. "Don't be scared, Tobi. These people are our friends."

"Friends?" Obito said. "How friends? They wear masks. Look scary. Take my eye."

"Ohhhh," said Jiraiya. "We encountered some shinobi wearing masks who were after his Sharingan," he explained. "No, no, Tobi, nobody is going to hurt you here."

"You protect me?" he asked.

"Always," said Jiraiya.

"Okay," he said, coming out.

Minato stepped forward. "Obito?" he asked tentatively.

"My name is Tobi," he said.

"Was that a nickname?" asked Jiraiya.

"No," said Minato, "not that I'd ever heard before."

"After I got the letter from you, Lord Third, I tried to get as much information out of him as I could the more he started talking. He mispronounced some things, and so he latched onto Tobi instead of Obito," explained Jiraiya.

"My name is Tobi," said Obito, extending his hand to Minato. "Friend?"

Tears filled Minato's eyes as he took Obito's hand. "Yes, Tobi, I am your friend."

"So you are sure this is Obito Uchiha?" asked Hiruzen.

"Without a doubt," said Minato. "My goodness! His entire left side was crushed. How is this possible?" He stroked Obito's cheek. "What even is this? It's not flesh."

Lord Danzo stepped forward. "We ought to take him in for questioning and examination. There are too many unanswered questions about his appearance. I am not fully convinced that this even is Obito Uchiha. He could be an enemy decoy sent to fool us. I demand this creature be put under constant ANBU surveillance."

"With all due respect, Lord Danzo, this is a _boy_ , not a _creature,_ " said Minato.

"Barely," said Danzo.

"The boy will remain under Jiraiya's protection," declared Lord Third. "Unless you have any objection, Jiraiya?"

"None at all," said Jiraiya. "I've grown quite fond of the little guy."

Danzo scoffed loudly.

"And what of his family, and his teammates?" asked Minato. "We have all been grieving Obito's passing. The news that he is still alive will be quite a shock."

"We should tell no one of this, until we understand it better," said Danzo.

"And just let them go on believing he's dead?" asked Minato. "I don't feel comfortable with that, Lord Third."

"So you're comfortable with putting this village at risk?" Danzo pressed.

"Enough," said Lord Third. "Minato and I will personally tell his teammates. Danzo, we will have constant ANBU surveillance of Jiraiya's home, and Obito will not leave without an escort. Agreed?"

"Fine," sneered Danzo. "Let's depart." He and his ANBU exited through the window.

"Gone!" Obito laughed, pointing. "Go home?"

"Yes, Tobi, let's go home," said Jiraiya.


	3. Friends

Obito was asleep. Jiraiya had been enjoying the quiet and working on a new novel when Minato knocked on the door.

"Be quiet," said Jiraiya, letting him in. "Tobi is a very light sleeper. He'll be up with the sun, too."

"So he's just like a child again, huh?" asked Minato.

"In many ways, yes," said Jiraiya. "Though he learns quickly. Just before he fell asleep, he asked me why you were hurt."

"Hurt?"

"He saw you crying earlier," Jiraiya explained. "He associates crying with pain. When I told him you were crying because you were happy to see him, he didn't understand, but he liked the idea. He likes you very much." Jiraiya laughed. "He does not like Danzo one bit, though."

"So he _is_ smart," muttered Minato. "Look, I'm sorry to bother you late, but I couldn't wait to bring this over. Kushina washed Obito's clothes for him." He handed Jiraiya a bundle.

"Ohhh, very nice, thanks!" said Jiraiya. "And how is Kushina?"

"Oh, she's her usual, cheerful self," said Minato. "She's ecstatic about you being back, so be prepared."

"Well, you know, I wasn't planning on it, but," said Jiraiya, "I feel responsible for the boy. And it'll be good to settle down for a while with all of you."

"So you don't plan on staying indefinitely, then?" asked Minato.

"I figure at the rate Tobi learns, he'll be back to his old self sooner rather than later, and then I can skedaddle again," said Jiraiya.

"I'm bringing Rin and Kakashi over tomorrow," said Minato. "They wanted to know if he'll be rejoining the team."

"Ohhhh, I don't think that'll be in the cards," said Jiraiya. "We don't even know if he can infuse chakra anymore with whatever that stuff the left side of his body is made of. Besides, he's pretty scared of fighting."

"You know they're going to ask about that," said Minato. "And if he can infuse chakra, they will want him retrained as a shinobi."

"I don't know if that's something Tobi would want," said Jiraiya.

"He is an Uchiha, with a Sharingan," said Minato. "Speaking of which. There's something you should know about the day Obito-for lack of a better word-died."

* * *

Obito slipped out of bed to visit the restroom, and he heard Jiraiya and Minato talking. He walked quietly down the hall.

"So Kakashi has Obito's other eye?" Jiraiya asked.

"Yes, and the head of the Uchiha clan, Fugaku, wasn't happy about it," said Minato. "But what could he do? I don't think you fully understand. Obito was dead. Kakashi and Rin saw him die."

 _Dead?_ thought Obito. _What is dead?_

"But you never saw a body," Jiraiya clarified.

"No," Minato confessed. "He was smashed under rocks. ANBU never recovered him. We thought he was lost until you sent your letter. I worry," said Minato, "that something very dark is at work here. I believe you that Obito, erm, _Tobi_ is innocent in this. But whoever resurrected him, I fear, didn't do it with good intentions. He's in danger, Jiraiya. He will always be in danger."

"Then we must protect him," said Jiraiya. "He's a gentle soul."

"He always was," said Minato. "Some said he didn't have the disposition to be a shinobi. He fought with Kakashi to the end."

 _Shinobi?_ thought Obito. _Me, shinobi?_

"Sometimes the best shinobi are the gentlest souls," said Jiraiya.

"I agree," said Minato, "though not everyone does."

"Don't I know it," said Jiraiya.

"I sure am glad _you_ found him, at any rate," said Minato. "I doubt he'd still be alive otherwise. And I know his teammates will show him nothing but love. We must surround him with love, if we are to keep him safe."

 _Love?_ thought Obito. _What is?_

* * *

"Tobi!" Jiraiya called. "You have visitors!"

"Friend?" Obito called from his room.

"Hiya, Tobi!" Minato said, waving.

"Friend!" exclaimed Obito. "Minato friend!" He bounded down the hall to greet Minato, then stopped in his tracks. Beside Minato was a girl about his age, with short chestnut brown hair, big brown eyes, and purple stripes on her cheeks. "Ohhhhh," Obito gasped.

"Obito!" she gasped, throwing her arms around him.

"My name is...," he muttered, then he lightly placed his hands on her back. He felt her tears on his cheek. "No!" Obito exclaimed, pushing her off. "No cry. Wait...sad cry or happy cry?"

"Happy," Rin sobbed. "So happy, Obito. We thought you were dead."

"What is?" he started to ask, but then Rin took his hand, and he felt like his heart was going to pound out of his chest.

"Minato-sensei?" asked Rin, "Can I show Obito around the village?"

"Afraid not, Rin," said Minato. "We're keeping him a secret between us, for now. We don't know enough about his situation yet."

"Ohhh," she said. "Okay. Well I'll just be spending a lot of time here then! Is that okay, Mr. Jiraiya?"

"We'll have to ask Tobi about that one," said Jiraiya.

She shook her head. "Not _Tobi._ " She made a face like she had bit into a lemon." _Obito!_ "

"My name is Tobi," said Obito.

"NO," said Rin, stomping her foot. "Your name is Obito! Say it with me. Oh."

"Oh."

"Bee."

"Bee."

"To. Obito."

"Oh-bee-toh. Obito."

"There!" she exclaimed, hugging him again.

"Obito?"

"What's your name?" she asked.

"My name is Tobi."

"UGH!" she cried, throwing her head back. "Okay, fine."

There was a knock on the door. "That must be Kakashi," said Minato. He opened the door, but it wasn't Kakashi. It was Lord Danzo.

"No no no no no no no," Obito muttered.

"Lord Danzo," Minato said. "What brings you here?"

"We must borrow Obito for a moment," said Danzo.

"No no no no no no no!" Obito exclaimed. "Come on," he said to Rin. He pulled her away.

"Can't it wait?" asked Minato. "He's being reunited with his teammates today."

Obito and Rin were in the hallway, watching tentatively.

"I'm afraid it can't," said Danzo. "We have questions that need answers."

"What kinds of questions?" Minato demanded.

"Well, for starters, what half of his body is made of," said Danzo. "I promise it'll be quick, and he'll be returned in one piece."

"Well, naturally," said Minato. "And if that's all it is, then you wouldn't object to me accompanying him?"

"You are not of my ANBU," said Danzo, "so I do object."

"Mr. Danzo?" said Rin. "Obito is very afraid of you. Please let Minato-sensei go."

"Bunch of snowflakes," he scoffed. Danzo drew a knife. "All we need is a sample of his flesh."

"Bad shinobi!" Obito cried, pointing to the knife.

"Danzo, stop!" Jiraiya cried. He threw himself between Obito and Danzo, and Minato did the same.

"You may be a sannin, but I still outrank you," said Danzo.

Jiraiya snatched the knife from Danzo. "I'll do it," he said.

"Mr. Jiraiya, no!" Rin protested.

Jiraiya sighed. "He's right, Rin. We need to know. Come on, Tobi." Obito didn't take his eye off Danzo as Jiraiya walked towards him. "Want to summon a toad, Tobi?"

"Me?" Obito asked. "Summon toad friend?"

"I'll teach you," said Jiraiya. "Watch." He took the knife and sliced a bit of his thumb before pressing it to the ground. "Summoning jutsu!" he exclaimed. A tiny toad appeared. Obito laughed and clapped.

"Did you see that?" Obito asked Rin. Rin giggled and nodded.

"Okay, now you," said Jiraiya, handing him the knife.

Obito took the knife tentatively. He pressed it against his skin and whimpered in pain, but he did it. Jiraiya took his hand and showed him down to press it to the ground, while also retrieving the piece of the white substance passing as skin. "Summoning jutsu!" they said together, and a second little toad appeared, thanks to Jiraiya's jutsu of course.

Obito picked up the toads and forgot about Danzo. He didn't even notice when the old man departed. He didn't notice much of anything when he was with Rin.

Kakashi came later that evening. "Sorry, Minato-sensei. The meeting with the Hokage lasted longer than expected," he said.

"Not a problem, Kakashi," said Minato. "Kakashi, I'd like you to meet my sensei, Jiraiya."

"Hello, Kakashi," said Jiraiya. "Minato here tells me you're quite the young shinobi."

"Thank you, sir," said Kakashi, "although I'm nothing compared to a sannin."

"Kakashi!" Rin said, running to hug him. "Kakashi, he's alive, he's alive, he's alive!"

"Kashi," Obito repeated. "Friend?"

"Yes, Obito, Kakashi is our friend," said Rin. "Look, Kakashi!"

Kakashi and Obito stared at each other. Finally, Kakashi spoke, his voice shaky. "Hi, Obito."

"My name is Tobi," said Obito. "Why mask?"

"I...uhhh...I just like it," said Kakashi.

"No good!" said Obito, shaking his head. "Bad shinobi cover their faces. You no bad shinobi, Kashi?"

"Uhhh...no," said Kakashi. "Obito."

"Kashi?" asked Obito. "Kashi, I want you to know, you can keep eye."

Everyone gasped. Kakashi brought his hand to his Sharingan instinctively, even though it was covered with his headband.

"You told me he didn't remember!" Kakashi said angrily.

"Remember? No. I hear Minato-friend and Jiraiya-friend talking. They say you have my eye. But it's okay. You keep," said Obito. "Look, Kashi," said Obito, touching Kakashi's face. Kakashi pulled back in alarm. "No, Kashi, no fear. Look. I have one eye. You have one eye. I need. You need. Would not be fair otherwise. So you keep. No be sad, Kashi."

"I...uhhh...I have to go," said Kakashi, running out of the house.

"Kashi-friend?" Obito asked. "What I do? What's wrong?" Obito turned to Rin.

"I'm sorry, Obito," said Rin. "Kakashi, he had a hard time after you...and now..." She looked at Minato-sensei for support.

"Kakashi is under a lot of pressure," Minato said. "It's nothing you did wrong, Obito."

"Kashi still my friend?" Obito asked.

"Yes, Obito," said Minato. "Kakashi is still your friend."


	4. Clan

Rin came to visit Obito every day. She helped him to speak and taught him more about the world he lives in. This gave Jiraiya time to write his novels, of which Obito was growing more and more curious.

"I want to read your books, Jiraiya-friend," said Obito one day.

"HA!" Jiraiya laughed. "Well, Obito, I don't know about _that_. You're a little...erm...young for my books."

"Young," Obito repeated. "Is Rin young?"

"Yes," said Jiraiya. "You and Rin are the same age."

"I don't feel like Rin and I are the same age," said Obito.

"Yes, well," said Jiraiya. "You're a strange one, Obito."

"She said I had an accident," said Obito, "and that's why I can't remember anything. And lost my eye. Did Kakashi have an accident too?"

"Yes," said Jiraiya after a pause. "On the same mission that you had your accident."

"I wish Kakashi would come back and see me," said Obito. "Rin says he's busy. But I just think he doesn't like me."

"I don't know the boy, so I couldn't say," said Jiraiya. "Minato says he's a talented shinobi."

"Are you sure he's not bad?" asked Obito.

"Kakashi?" clarified Jiraiya.

"Yeah," said Obito. "He covers his face like a bad shinobi. I suppose he probably has a messed up face like mine, because of accident. But just the same. I feel like he could be bad, if he wanted to be."

"Well," said Jiraiya, "I think that all shinobi, all people even, have both good and bad inside of them."

This thought intrigued Obito. "How?" he asked, sitting on the floor and looking up at his father-figure.

"Well," Jiraiya said carefully. "I don't suppose anybody really believes they themselves are bad. But sometimes people do bad things with good intentions, just the same. Or their superiors order them to do something bad in the name of the village or country."

Obito rubbed his brow trying to comprehend. "Bad things with good intentions," said Obito. "How? Bad is bad, and good is good. If intentions are good, then the actions must be good as well."

"And yet-," started Jiraiya, but a knock on the door interrupted them. "Well, we can come back to that later." He ruffled Obito's hair and opened the door to Rin.

"Hello, Jiraiya!" Rin beamed. "Is Obito...?"

"RIN!" Obito exclaimed happily. He ran to greet her, and stopped in his tracks. Rin was carrying a furry animal.

"Well, who's this?" asked Jiraiya.

"This is my kitty, Neko," said Rin. "I thought Obito might want to meet him."

"Neko," repeated Obito. "Cat, yes?"

"That's right!" said Rin. "Just like in the book yesterday!"

"Hello, Neko," said Obito. "My name is Tobi."

Rin showed Obito how to play with Neko, and Jiraiya returned to his writing, wondering how to address the more complex and specific questions Obito had started asking of late. The better Obito got at speaking, the clearer his mind became. There was also the matter of the letter from Hiruzen that was weighing on Jiraiya's mind. They had tested and retested Obito's DNA at the ANBU lab, and the results kept coming back the same. It was Hashirama Senju's cells that made up half of his body. Danzo wanted to know what Obito's jutsu capabilities were. Minato and Jiraiya, backed by Hiruzen, were able to delay these questions, but Jiraiya knew the day would come when the question would be unavoidable. For now, they were busy enough investigating the where and how of Obito's strange resurrection.

"OW!" cried Obito.

"Don't pet him so hard," Rin ordered.

Jiraiya looked up. Neko was arched, his hair standing on end, hissing at Obito. Obito was clutching his good hand, which was bleeding from a scratch.

"Neko hurt me!" Obito declared.

"You have to be gentle with him," Rin explained. She reached to pick up and comfort her cat, but Obito, afraid for Rin's safety, blocked her and smacked Neko down.

"Bad kitty!" Obito exclaimed. "Bad kitty hurts people!" He wrapped his hand around Neko's neck. "Bad bad kitty!"

"OBITO, STOP!" Rin shouted, pulling Obito off her pet. Neko laid there, lifeless. Rin picked up her cat, and tears fell from her eyes.

"No, no cry, Rin," said Obito.

"He's dead!" Rin sobbed.

"Dead?" asked Obito. He touched the cat tentatively. "Dead," he repeated. "Jiraiya, can you fix it?"

Jiraiya hung his head. "I'm afraid not, Tobi. Once something dies, it can't be fixed. Dead is dead."

"Dead," Obito repeated. "Dead is dead." Obito's head spun with the words "Dead is dead," and the conversation between Minato and Jiraiya, and his first memory of the strange white-haired man in the cave who had been so cruel.

"Obito, is there something you want to say to Rin and Neko?" Jiraiya said as if speaking to a toddler.

"Dead is dead," Obito repeated, and then an undefinable dread filled him, and he ran out the door. He didn't know what he was running from. He didn't know what he was running towards. But he was afraid, and he ran.

As he went through the town, people and animals fled from him. Some cried out in surprise or disgust. Wanting to escape their judging faces, he turned into an empty alley that became a dead end. And without thinking about it, he jumped.

Obito scaled the building and found himself standing on the roof. He paused for a second, startled at what he had done. He found himself face to face with the sun, and he gazed at it until his eye hurt, and he could gaze no more. Then, he threw his head back and laughed. He leapt from the building to the next, and onward across Konoha, until he reached a curious part of town that stopped him in his tracks.

This part of town was gated off, and on the gate was a familiar symbol, the thing that looked like a white fan dipped in blood. The thing that was on his jacket. Jiraiya had called it "Uchiha."

He jumped off the building and walked to the gate, and he thought perhaps some force would prevent him from entering, but if there was such a force, it didn't stop him. He wandered inside. It was no different from the other parts of town, except most of the people had dark hair and wore the same symbol on their backs.

His stomach rumbled. A little old lady was sitting on a bench eating dumplings, and he went to her.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he said. "Where did you get those-" She dropped the dumplings, and her jaw fell open, and her eyes looked as if they were about to burst out of her head. "-dumplings?" Obito bent down to collect them and hand them back to her.

She jabbed her finger in his face and wailed, "HELP ME!"

"What? What do you need? How can I help? The dumplings...," Obito said.

She started shaking and sobbing uncontrollably. "Ohhh...he's still there! Why won't you leave a poor old lady alone? Haven't I suffered enough? Ohhh, Obito!" People started gathering around, gasping and muttering. "Help me, help me, help me! I am have gone mad!" She tore at her hair and fell on the ground.

"MADAM!" A policeman pushed through the crowd and picked her up. "Madam, what is-?" The man stopped and stared at Obito.

"He looks like my grandson," she said. "But he can't be!" She wailed. "My grandson is dead! He's dead, he's dead, he's dead! And yet there he is! Oh, sonny, I am so sorry to startle you. I am an old, crazy woman, much afflicted with grief. My grandson...Fugaku, you should lock me away in a madhouse! I still see him. I still see him...!"

"Ma'am, I am-" Obito started, but the old lady coughed and collapsed in Fugaku's arms.

"Madam!" Fugaku gasped. "Get her to the hospital!" he ordered. His subordinates picked up the old lady and carried her away.

Obito watched with interest. "What will happen to her?"

"Nevermind," said Fugaku. "Come with me."

* * *

Obito sat down across from Fugaku at the dining room table and slowly began to eat the pork and rice placed before him. Fugaku didn't say anything, just quietly ate his meal until his wife walked downstairs.

"Fugaku, I finished the laundrAHH!" she cried, dropping the basket of clothes. "What is that?"

Fugaku turned calmly. "Mikoto, don't be rude. This is Obito Uchiha."

She breathed deeply, staring at Obito in terror. "So the rumors are true...Why would you bring that thing into my house?" she demanded.

"Mikoto! This is a member of our clan!"

"This is an abomination of nature!" she exclaimed, hastily shoving the clothes back in the basket. "Do what you must, but I won't...I can't...he's a monster!" She left the house in a huff, leaving the laundry basket on the floor.

Fugaku turned back to Obito. "I'm sorry about that, Ob-"

"She's right," Obito said gravely.

"I'm sorry?" Fugaku asked, taken aback.

"She's right. I am...an abomination of nature," said Obito. "I do not know this word, 'abomination,' yet...it sounds right. The way she says it. And the way everyone looks at me."

Fugaku's eyes widened. "How much do you know?" he asked tentatively.

"Enough," Obito said. "It's funny...I know my name is...Obito." He had to force the word out. "The first time I messed it up. But even after...even after I knew better...I still couldn't bring myself to say it. I didn't know why. It just didn't feel right. But now I know why. This Obito you all speak of...is dead."

Fugaku took a sip of his tea. "So Jiraiya and your old sensi have instructed you, then."

"Oh, well, they would try to keep this from me, to protect me. But I have figured it out. It is not hard."

"You are smart," said Fugaku.

"That woman knew Obito, didn't she?" asked Obito. Fugaku nodded. "Did you know Obito?"

"I did," said Fugaku. "Somewhat. All members of the same clan know each other."

"Can you tell me more about that?" asked Obito. "I've heard this word, 'clan.' But I'm afraid I don't quite understand. What makes a clan?"

"A clan is a family, Obito," said Fugaku. "We are family."

"Like Minato-sensei, Rin, and Kakashi?"

"No," said Fugaku, wincing at the mention of Kakashi. "No, Obito, that's a team. That's artificial. Shinobi are assigned to team. A clan you're born into. Your mother, your father, your sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles."

Obito shook his head. "But how can I be in your clan? I'm not..." Obito couldn't find the right words to match his thoughts, and his head hurt. He stared at his food in frustration.

"You want proof?" asked Fugaku. "Here's your proof, Obito." Fugaku lifted Obito's head so they were eye to eye, and then, Fugaku's Sharingan's activated.

Obito gasped. "You have the...what's the word?!"

"Sharingan, Obito," said Fugaku. "Only the Uchiha possess them. It is a mark of great power."

"TOBI?!" shouted a voice outside.

"Jiraiya-friend," Obito said, and he wolfed down the last bit of his food. "Thank you, Fugaku Uchiha...clan member."

Fugaku took Obito's hand. "If you need anything, Obito, you can come to me. You remember your way here?"

"I hopped across the buildings, and I saw the Uchiha on the gate, so I came," said Obito.

"Good," said Fugaku.

Mikoto and Jiraiya walked in on them. "Thank you, Mikoto, Fugaku," said Jiraiya. "I can take it from here."

Fugaku glared. "He's an Uchiha. He should be with his clan."

"Jiraiya-friend," said Obito. "Fugaku bought me dinner, and he taught me about clans. I think I understand now. I have a clan!"

"Well, that's great," said Jiraiya. "Thank you very much."

"And I can jump on buildings!" Obito exclaimed.

"Impressive," said Jiraiya.

"Fugaku says I can come back and visit. I think I'd like that. To be with my clan," said Obito. "Not that I don't like you, Jiraiya-friend. But you are my team, and they are my clan." He looked at Fugaku. "Yes?"

Fugaku nodded.

"Well," said Jiraiya, considering. "I'll have to ask the Hokage, but...that could probably be arranged."

"Oh thank you thank you thank you!" Obito squealed. "I am going to learn so much. Ummm...Jiraiya-friend? Did Rin go home?"

Jiraiya hung his head. "Yes, Tobi," he said.

"Ohhhhh!" groaned Obito. "Do you think she'll come back?"

"Maybe, if you ask nicely, and apologize," said Jiraiya. He looked at Fugaku and Mikoto. "There was an incident earlier."

"Her cat died, and I did it," said Obito remorsefully. "You _sure_ you can't fix?"

Jiraiya pat Obito on the back. "No, Obito, we can't."

"But then how-!" he blurted, then the image of the cruel white man filled his mind, and he stopped.


	5. Master

Obito learned much from Fugaku.

He learned how to fly through trees like a bird.

He learned how to avoid getting punched and kicked, and to dodge kunai and shuriken.

He learned how to walk up trees and cliffs.

He learned how to punch and kick, and to throw kunai and shuriken.

He learned how to walk on water.

Mikoto still didn't stay around when Obito was over, but Jiraiya or Minato oversaw all of their visits.

One day, Obito was permitted to go to the Uchiha district accompanied only by Rin. He had begged for this for many days prior.

"I can't wait to show you what I can do!" Obito said, dragging her through the village.

"Wow, Obito, you've gotten so fast!" Rin said, picking up pace with him.

"Fugaku says I am like a candidate ninja now. But that's not why I do it," he said.

"Then why?" asked Rin.

"So that I can control myself," said Obito. "So that what happened to Neko, won't happen to anyone or anything else. See, apparently I've had all this strength the whole time. I just didn't know how to use it. That's why that happened to your Neko."

"Thank you, Obito," said Rin. "Although, I'm sad that you don't want to come with us on missions again."

They arrived at Fugaku and Mikoto's house. Mikoto directed them to the lake, and there Fugaku was waiting with rice and pork sticks. Obito ate his quickly. "What will we do today, Fugaku? Will we race across the water again?"

"No, Obito," said Fugaku. "Any ninja can walk on water. I want to show you something special today." Fugaku weaved signs with his hand, and Obito watched them curiously. Then, Fugaku brought his hands to his mouth and blew. A jet of fire blew across the lake, billowed at the center, then dissipated.

"Oh no! No no no no no!" Obito cried, hiding behind Rin. Rin clapped and laughed.

"The Fire Ball Jutsu," said Fugaku. "I'd like to teach you this. All of the Uchiha clan knows it."

"All of them? They all do that?" Obito asked, trembling. "Doesn't it hurt?"

"No," said Fugaku. "The Uchiha are born with fire."

"Born with fire?" asked Obito. "How? Babies from fire?"

"No, Obito!" Rin said, laughing. "He doesn't mean literally. It just means they have a fire chakra nature."

"Okay, okay, okay," said Obito. "I know 'chakra.' I know 'nature.' But what is 'chakra nature?'"

"It's the element your chakra is made of," said Rin. "If you're an Uchiha, then you are probably fire. Try it, Obito."

Obito gulped. "Okay," he said. "For you, Rin, I will try this...this abomination of nature."

"Okay, Obito, here are the signs," started Fugaku.

But Obito already knew the signs, for he'd followed them with his Sharingan. He weaved them perfectly, brought them to his lips, and blew. A small flame emitted from his mouth, nowhere near as big as Fugaku's, but when it did, Obito felt the hotness on his lips and fingers, and he screamed.

"YOU SAID IT WOULDN'T HURT! YOU SAID!" Obito screamed.

"Well, it is surprising at first, but...," Fugaku started, and then he gasped. Obito's hand was on fire. "Obito!" he shouted, jumping on Obito, but Obito dodged him as if he were an attacker.

"Obito, your hand!" Rin said, coming at him. Obito dodged her, too, running in circles and crying, waving his left hand around.

Together, she and Fugaku pushed Obito into the water. Steam emitted from the water, and he cried in pain. "YOU SAID IT WOULDN'T HURT! YOU SAID YOU SAID YOU SAID!" Obito growled again.

"I've never seen that happen before...oh!" Fugaku gasped, pulling Obito's left hand out of the water. Obito's fingers had melted together.

"I am no Uchiha," Obito spat. "I am...a monster!" Obito ran away into the woods.

"Obito, wait!" Fugaku called after him.

"I'll get him," said Rin.

"And I'll get Jiraiya," said Fugaku. "So bizarre! It must be that left side of his body, the side that was..."

Rin didn't wait for him to finish. She rushed into the woods.

* * *

Obito found a hollow log by a pond, and he curled up within it, hiding himself from the sun. There, he cried himself to sleep, until he heard a familiar voice calling his name.

"OBITO! OBITO!" Rin yelled.

Obito stirred, his heart fluttering, but he stopped when he heard a second voice.

"Come on, Rin. He doesn't want to be found," Kakashi complained.

"But he's hurt, Kakashi! He needs help," said Rin.

"I'm sure the ANBU will come looking for him. Come on, Rin. I know you care about him, but, you care too much."

"And you don't care enough!" Rin snapped. "What is wrong with you? It's Obito, Kakashi! Our teammate! He gave you his eye, for Sage's sake!"

"Yeah, you ever think it's kinda weird for me?" Kakashi asked.

"Weird," Rin repeated incredulously. "Well, of course it's weird! Lots of things in this world are weird! You're telling me you're seriously afraid of Obito because of an eye?"

"It's not just the eye," said Kakashi. "It's the whole idea of him being back. I watched him die, and...I don't know. Something just doesn't sit right with me. You ever hear of Orochimaru?"

"The banished sannin?" she clarified.

"You know why he got banished, right? For mucking around with forbidden jutsu. _Immortality_ jutsu. Body modification experiments. Even...resurrection."

Rin took Kakashi's hand. "You think Obito is...an experiment?"

"Of course he's an experiment! Maybe not Orochimaru's, but...I mean, if it had been ANBU that found him and saved his life, that would be one thing. This is something else. And my gut tells me it's not good."

Rin sat down by the pond and starred in the water. "He's still our Obito."

"I'm not so sure about that," said Kakashi.

"He is! I know he is. If you'd just spend some time with him, you'd see," she said.

Kakashi put his arm around her. "I worry about you with him. You get so wrapped up in this stuff. Oh, Rin, you know that's what I love about you. You care too much, about everything. Me especially."

Rin put her hand on his face. "And I know you're just looking out for me, in your own weird way."

"I'll come hang out with you and Obito next time I'm free," Kakashi said.

"Thanks, Kakashi. That means everything to me, and him." She lowered his mask and kissed him.

Obito watched in horror from within the hollow. He didn't understand why, but he wished to hurt Kakashi. He felt terrible for thinking it, but he couldn't stop himself. He'd spent hours alone with Rin, and she'd never touched him like that, or done that with him with her lips. He didn't understand why they were doing it, but he knew it meant they were very close, and he wanted to do it too.

Kakashi pulled his head back and smiled while Rin kissed his ears, neck. She removed his headband. Obito pressed his hands against his mouth to suppress a cry. Underneath the lopsided headband, next to Kakashi's one dark eye, was a deep scar, and Obito's red one. Obito touched his eye, then the flesh-filled socket where his second eye should be.

Rin and Kakashi left hand-in-hand, and Obito emerged from the log filled with rage and sorrow. He peered into the pond and moaned at what he saw. For the first time, he saw himself how the others saw him: deformed, incomplete, inhuman. "Monster," he whispered to himself.

Suddenly, rough hands clapped him on the shoulders. Obito saw the reflection of two people in black wearing animal masks, and he cried and grabbed his kunai to make a stab at them. He successfully stabbed the first in the foot, and then he blacked out.

Obito woke up sitting in a dark room, his body completely immobilized with metal straps and chains. He could make out the form of Lord Danzo and a male shinobi with long blonde hair.

"And the Hokage has approved this?" the blonde asked.

"It is imperative that we know his origins," said Danzo, "so that we know what we may be up against."

"Bad shinobi," Obito whispered.

Danzo and the other turned to him. "Akemi, knock him out again."

"No need," said the blonde. "He can be awake."

"As you wish, Inoichi," said Danzo.

Inoichi bent down in front of Obito. "Hello," he said. "My name is Inoichi Yamanaka. I'm going to be searching through your memories today, okay?"

"My name is Tobi," said Obito tentatively. He didn't understand the rest.

"I promise this isn't going to hurt, okay, Tobi? Just stay still, and you can go home when we're done," said Inoichi.

"Okay," said Obito. "Why chains?"

"Because we need you not to struggle, Tobi. This won't take long, and then you'll be free."

"No struggle. Okay," said Obito.

"That's a good boy," said Inoichi. "Now this might be a bit shocking, but I promise everything is going to be okay." Inoichi closed his eyes and pressed his palm against Obito's forehead. Obito was at the pond again, and then Kakashi's bare face flashed before him, and he cringed. "Shhhh, it's okay, Obito. I'm not interested in any of that, but I need to shuffle through some things to find what I am looking for," Inoichi cooed. The terrible fire, tea with Fugaku, running through trees, the sun, Neko's mangled body, Rin's tears, Jiraiya-friend, the rogue shinobi, the girls in the water, the moon, the cruel white man. Inochi pulled back. "Obito, can you focus on that person again?"

Obito shook his head. "No. I don't want to. He's a bad man."

"Who was that man?" asked Inoichi.

"I don't know!" Obito cried. "But he's very mean. He didn't want me. He kicked me out."

"Kicked you out? Out of where?" Inoichi pressed.

"The cave," said Obito. "He lives in a cave, with the other white man."

"Let me see this other white man," said Inoichi.

Tears were falling out of Obito's eye, but he obliged. Inoichi put his hand on Obito's forehead again and dug deeper.

" _IT'S ALIVE! OBITO UCHIHA IS ALIVE! Speak to me, Obito! Speak to me, my son!"... He looked at the Gedo Statue and flinched at the horrific sight... "He issssss ssssssscared"..."He is a mewling baby. He's useless to our cause. The experiment is a failure. Take him outside."..."But Masssster, he will die on hisssss own."..."That's the point, Zetsu...Look at him. Death is a mercy for the likes of him."..."Yessssss, Massssster."_

Inoichi removed his hand as Obito became overwhelmed with emotions. Obito was sweating, and under his breath, he whispered, "Master, master, master, master."


	6. Real

Obito returned to Jiraiya, and Jiraiya noticed a distinct difference in the boy. He laughed less, smiled less, even talked less.

One day Jiraiya caught Obito flipping through one of his _Make-Out Chronicles_ books. Jiraiya snatched the book away from him.

"Why won't you teach me to read it?" Obito demanded.

"Because...it's not for kids," said Jiraiya.

"I am a kid," said Obito, "yet when I was Obito, the village sent me out to die for them. Was I a kid then?"

Jiraiya could sense Obito was trying to trap him. "That's a different matter entirely."

"Are Rin and Kakashi kids?" Obito asked.

"Yes," said Jiraiya.

Obito sighed. "They do things like in your books," he whispered.

"Oh?" Jiraiya asked. He'd been unaware that Rin and Kakashi were a couple, but of course, he knew the Kakashi boy to be very secretive "Well, now, I'm sure they don't do _all_ the things...erm...never mind that, Tobi. Why don't you go visit Fugaku again? He misses you." Rin and Kakashi were sent on a mission with Minato after the fireball incident and hadn't returned yet, so Obito had been very lonely. Jiraiya thought perhaps that was the reason for the boy's strange demeanor of late.

But Obito shook his head sadly. "Fugaku can't teach me anything else. I'm a failure."

"What? That's not fair, Tobi! Why do you say that?"

"I can't do fire jutsu without hurting myself again," said Obito.

"Sure, but there are lots of other jutsu. Do you want me to teach you some?" Obito grumbled something under his breath. "What do you say, Tobi?" Jiraiya pressed.

"I want to be a real Uchiha," Obito said loudly. "But I can't, because I can't do the fire jutsu, and I only have this one eye, so that's why I can't go back with Fugaku," said Obito.

"That's nonsense, Tobi," said Jiraiya. "Of course you're a real Uchiha! Not all Uchiha have those eyes, you know," said Jiraiya.

"Eye," Obito corrected. "I only have one."

Jiraiya sighed. "And you're lucky to have that one, Tobi. You are so very, very lucky."

But Obito didn't feel lucky, and he'd had enough of Jiraiya's sympathies, so he rolled his eye and went to his room. When he got there, he opened the window, drew his kunai, and threw it. A ninja jumped from the tree. Obito jumped out to get his kunai, then saw the ANBU on the top of the next building.

"I can see you with my Sharingan," Obito shouted. "You've been watching me since I got here, haven't you?" The ANBU hung his head in shame. "It's okay," said Obito. "You work for Lord Danzo, right?" The ANBU shook his head yes. "Hey, can I ask you something?" The ANBU tentatively stepped forward and nodded yes again. "Do you guys know what I am? Does Jiraiya know?"

The ANBU met Obito on the ground. "What are you asking?" he asked, without removing his cat mask.

"What I mean is...this stuff I'm made of," Obito said, lifting his left arm. "It's not human flesh. What is it?"

"I don't know," the ANBU said truthfully.

"Oh," said Obito. "Okay. Thank you, Mister."

"But I know someone who does," said the ANBU. "If you'll come with me."

"Sure," said Obito. The ANBU took Obito's hand, and he was swept away. In an instant, they were on a bridge leading to a large grey building. "Where are we?" asked Obito.

"This is ANBU headquarters," said the ANBU. "Lord Danzo will see you now."

Obito shivered as the hardened old shinobi walked out of the building. "Obito Uchiha," said Danzo. "I see you've discovered my spy."

"It was not so hard," said Obito.

"Then you are ready," said Danzo. "Come inside, Obito." Obito was still deathly afraid of Danzo, but for the first time his desire for answers and to find his place overwhelmed his fear, so he followed Danzo into the building. The inside was as unfeeling as the outside. Danzo prompted Obito to sit down in a hard chair, and Danzo sat across from him. "What prompted you to come here, Obito?"

"I want to know what I am," asked Obito.

"Then I will tell you," said Danzo. "You are a gift, Obito."

"A gift?" asked Obito.

"A gift to the Hidden Leaf," said Danzo. "We can learn much from you, I believe."

"Learn from me?" asked Obito. "Like what?"

"Like how a shinobi comes back from death and retains their chakra," said Danzo. "If we could learn how you did it, then there may come a day when we would never lose a shinobi in battle. And on that day, the Hidden Leaf would be unstoppable."

Obito remembered well what Kakashi had said about resurrection jutsu being forbidden, and a knot formed in his stomach. "You want to resurrect dead shinobi?"

"The applications are endless," said Danzo.

"Isn't that wrong, though?" asked Obito. "Like...aren't dead people supposed to stay dead?"

"Oh, Obito," said Danzo. "I see those who you call your friends in the village have made you soft. Obito, I live by one creed, and that is to protect this village no matter what the cost. If that means getting my hands dirty, or dabbling in dark jutsu arts, then so be it. I live for this village. Do you want to help the village, Obito? Master Jiraiya, Minato, _Rin..._?" He put extra emphasis on this last name. "You want Rin to always be safe, don't you?"

And Obito gave the only answer he could. "More than anything, Lord Danzo."

"Then come with me, Obito," said Danzo. "I'd like you to meet a friend of mine, who lives outside of the village."

"Okay!" Obito said eagerly. "I like to meet new people!"

"I know you do, Obito," said Danzo. "However, you won't be able to return to the village for a very long time."

"That's fine," said Obito. "As long as he can help me."

"Help you?" asked Danzo.

"I want to be fully human again," said Obito. "I want real flesh again. I want...I want to be fixed."

Danzo smiled slightly. "If anyone can help you with that, Lord Orochimaru can."

Danzo and two of his ANBU escorted Obito to a cave in a forest. Obito started trembling as they approached. When they walked inside, he thought he'd be face-to-face with the cruel white man again, but instead, there was a man with a face like a snake's and long black hair.

"Lord Danzo," said Orochimaru, "to what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I've brought you a present, Orochimaru," said Danzo. "It's the boy I told you about."

"The boy?" Orochimaru asked, and then his eyes fell on Obito, and on the Sharingan. "Ohhh," said Orochimaru. " _That_ boy." He bent down to be eye-to-eye with Obito. "Hello, Obito. It is such a pleasure to finally meet you."

Obito had heard nothing good about Lord Orochimaru, but he would take whatever help he could get. "Hello," said Obito, "my name is Tobi."

"Tobi? That's cute," said Orochimaru. Orochimaru was running his hands up Obito's left arm, and then over the left side of Obito's face around the Sharingan.

"Obito, ask Orochimaru what you asked me," said Danzo.

"Huh? Oh," said Obito. "Lord Orochimaru?"

"Yes, child?" Orochimaru said absently.

"Can you make me fully human?" asked Obito.

Orochimaru considered. "As in, you want to trade in this flesh..." he took Obito's left hand..."for something more natural?"

"Yes, please," said Obito. "I want to be able to do the Fireball Jutsu, like the other Uchiha. Then I can belong to clan, and have a family, and have...everything a real boy has."

"Obito, I can make you more powerful than you've ever dreamed," said Orochimaru. "I promise."

Obito smiled. Orochimaru nodded to Lord Danzo, and Danzo and his men departed.

* * *

Obito was naked, suspended in a vat of liquid, breathing through a tube. Orochimaru came by every so often, making notes on a pad of paper. Sometimes, Orochimaru added chemicals to Obito's tank. Sometimes it burned, but Obito couldn't even scream. He wanted to take it back, to go back to Jiraiya and Fugaku, but he couldn't move. He wished for death, but death never came.

Finally, Orochimaru let Obito out of the tank. Obito lunged for Orochimaru, kicking and punching and screaming. Orochimaru held Obito back with just one hand and laughed. "You're strong, Obito. Not many survive all of my experiments."

"You're a murderer, then!" Obito snapped. "You would have killed me!"

"Sometimes it can't be helped," said Orochimaru. "But you survived. This is good news for you, Obito. It means you have the strength to survive the surgery that is to follow."

"Surgery?" asked Obito.

"Yes, the one you asked for. I can make you whole again," said Orochimaru, "as soon as Lord Danzo brings me your other eye."

"My other eye?" asked Obito. "How? Kakashi has it." Orochimaru laughed and patted Obito on the head. Obito pulled away. "Will they kill him?" Obito asked in a hushed tone.

"Not necessarily," said Orochimaru. "Would it bother you if they did?"

Obito thought. "Of course," he said. "He doesn't deserve to die."

"You hesitated," said Orochimaru.

"Yeah," said Obito, "I don't particularly like Kakashi. I can't imagine why Obito would have given him that eye in the first place. But I don't want him to die."

Orochimaru nodded. "Come, Obito. There is much more I must learn about you before I can proceed." He patted a nearby table and beckoned Obito to come sit. Obito obeyed, but afterwards, he greatly wished he hadn't.

* * *

Obito cried himself to sleep in a cold cell. His body ached from what Orochimaru had done. He could still feel the needles, the knives. He hugged himself close and shut his eyes to the world, thinking of what goodness existed beyond the cell. Although, he could think of very little.

He heard a toad chirping, and he smiled. Toads were nice. Toads didn't care what you looked like. Toads didn't hurt you. Toads didn't say one thing, but mean another. Oh, that he could become a toad! Maybe he would ask Lord Orochimaru. But Orochimaru wouldn't listen. Orochimaru would only do what he wanted, and what he wanted always hurt.

"Tobi! Tobi! Tobi!" the toad chirped. Obito opened his eye. A red and black toad was sitting on his pillow.

"Toad?" Obito asked. "How do you know my name?" Obito stretched out his hand to stroke it, and the toad wrapped his tongue around Obito's hand. Obito laughed. Then, the toad's mouth expanded and swallowed him.


	7. All I Have Left

The toad spat Obito back out in the middle of Jiraiya's living room. Obito looked up to see Jiraiya's stern face looking down at him, and Obito started sobbing uncontrollably. He gripped Jiraiya's legs like a child. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry!"

Jiraiya bent down and looked Obito in the eye. He lifted the boy's chin and wiped away his tears, then embraced him. "What are you apologizing for? You're home. You're safe," said Jiraiya. "We looked all over for you. We were so worried. We thought you were..."

"No one is safe," Obito whispered ominously.

Jiraiya let go of Obito gently. "What's that, Tobi?"

"This world is not a safe place," said Obito. "Everyone is bad, bad, bad, everyone except for you, and Minato, and Rin, and _maybe_ Fugaku, but I'm not even so sure...people say they want to be your friend, say they want to help, but then they just hurt, and hurt, and hurt, and hurt you!" Obito was shaking.

"Ohhh, Obito, what happened? Where were you?" Jiraiya said through tears.

"I was...," Obito started, then burst, "Oh, Jiraiya-friend! I am never leaving this place again. I just want to stay here, with you, and Minato, and Rin forever. A perfect little world. Our own clan, forever and ever and ever. Can I do that, Jiraiya?"

And a dark shadow passed over Jiraiya's face, but he just said, "Yes, Tobi, yes."

* * *

The sun was peeking through Obito's curtains, but he didn't dare open them. He kept himself completely concealed under blankets, for fear of who might be watching.

Until he heard a knock on the door.

 _Rin!_

He threw off the blankets and put on his blue jacket before rushing down the hall, and then he stopped in his tracks. It wasn't Rin, but Kakashi and Minato, looking somber.

"Obito," said Minato, giving his student a warm hug. "You don't know how worried we were about you."

"I am never leaving again. I promise," said Obito, watching Kakashi over Minato's shoulder.

Minato released Obito, and Kakashi stepped forward. "Hey, Obito. I'm glad you're back."

Obito only managed a little "hmph," before Jiraiya said, "Sit down, Obito. We have something to tell you."

"Okay," Obito said, taking a seat between Minato and Kakashi, "but shouldn't we wait for Rin? I'm sure whatever you have to tell me, Rin can-" Obito stopped, because Minato had started crying. "Happy cry?" asked Obito hopefully.

Minato took a tissue and blew his nose. Kakashi's hand rested awkwardly on Obito's shoulder. "Obito, I know I've not been much of a friend since...ever," he said, "but I want you to know, I'm going to be here for you now. Anything you need. I promise to be a friend to you for now on. It's what...it's what she wanted." His voice broke, and he hung his head.

Obito furrowed his brow at Kakashi, then Minato, then Jiraiya. "What the hell is happening?" Obito asked, frustrated.

"Obito," Jiraiya started.

"No, I've got this," said Minato, rubbing his cheeks raw from wiping away tears. "Obito, Rin is-"

"Wait," said Kakashi. "Minato-sensei, Jiraiya-sensei, I'm responsible, so he should hear it from-"

"YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE!" Minato burst.

"I DON'T CARE WHO TELLS ME, JUST TELL ME!" Obito cried.

"Rin is dead," said Jiraiya.

All feeling left Obito's body. He stared at Jiraiya, numbly. He heard Minato and Kakashi crying softly beside him, both of their arms around Obito, but Obito couldn't feel. "Fix it," he said quietly.

"Obito, you know we can't," said Jiraiya calmly.

"Because dead is dead," Obito said. He looked at his hands, balling up into fists against his thighs. He started to breath heavily.

"Obito," Minato said as a warning. "You don't have to hold your feelings in. If you want to say something..."

Obito turned to Kakashi. "You said it was your fault. Why?"

"Obito, no," Minato scolded, holding Obito back. "Kakashi, why don't you leave us for a while."

"No, sensei, he needs to know," said Kakashi. "Obito, Rin died because..." Kakashi let out a cry that startled Obito, and Obito was suddenly filled with compassion. Perhaps Kakashi had really cared about Rin after all. Then Kakashi said, "Rin died because she ran into my jutsu. A lightning style. It struck her in the heart. I'm so sorry, Obito." Kakashi's arms wrapped around Obito. "It was an accident, I didn't..."

"Murderer," Obito whispered.

Kakashi pulled back. "Don't you dare!"

"Okay, time to go," said Minato. "Kakashi!"

"Obito!" barked Jiraiya.

"SHE TRUSTED YOU!" Obito shouted, and then Kakashi was on his back, and Obito's hands were wrapped around his throat.

"OBITO!" Jiraiya and Minato hollered.

Kakashi threw Obito off him, sending his former teammate into the wall. Kakashi stood up and brought his hands to his face in alarm. Obito had ripped Kakashi's headband off, revealing the second Sharingan. Kakashi bellowed, "YOU HAVE SOME NERVE, OBITO! I LOVED RIN! HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE ME OF-"

"NO!" Obito screamed. "I LOVE RIN! NO PAST TENSE! I LOVE HER, DEAD OR ALIVE, IT DOESN'T MATTER! SHE'S THE ONLY ONE WHO LOOKS AT ME AND SEES ME, NOT A FREAK, OR MONSTER, OR UNDEAD KID, OR SOMETHING TO HELP THE VILLAGE, OR SOMETHING TO PROTECT, OR SOMETHING TO TEACH...SHE SEES ME, OBITO UCHIHA! AND YOU...YOU...YOU TOOK HER FROM ME!" Obito was on his knees. He screamed again, but this time, there were no words, just a pure, miserable scream that subsided into a sob.

Minato and Jiraiya looked at each other in alarm. Kakashi stepped forward.

"Kakashi," Minato said.

Kakashi held out his hand to his sensei and shook his head, then extended his hand to Obito. "Come on, Obito. Let's be friends," he said.

Obito looked up, and with a trembling hand, he gave Kakashi back his headband.

* * *

Rin's dress covered her injuries, and Obito thought she looked as perfect as ever in the casket. The priest said some stuff about Rin being in a better place, and Obito wondered about this place. If Rin was there, then it was surely perfect. He could never have his perfect place now, not without Rin.

They closed the casket, and he panicked. He gripped Kakashi's arm tightly. "What are they doing to her?" he asked.

"They're burying her, Obito," said Kakashi. "It's what we do with dead people."

"Was I buried, Kakashi?" Obito asked. "So I could have been there?"

"Huh?"

"Where Rin is going. I could have been there, with her."

"Underground?" Kakashi asked, confused. But Obito didn't answer. He ripped away from Kakashi and ran up to the casket as the pallbearers picked it up. He managed to touch it before they whisked it away. "Obito, come back!" Kakashi ordered.

Obito followed the pallbearers, and they positioned the casket over the hole, and it started to drop. When the casket was just below the surface, Obito exclaimed, "I'm supposed be there!" and jumped in.

"TOBI, YOU FOOL!" Kakashi shouted. Everyone gasped and stood up to intervene, but Kakashi said, "I've got it," and went in after Obito. The two boys emerged again on the other side of the grave. "Sorry about that," said Kakashi, and he dragged Obito away behind a large monument. Then, Kakashi slapped him. "What the HELL were you doing?"

"Going where I belong," said Obito.

"That's insane," said Kakashi. "You're insane. Rin died, and you're making this all about you. It's not about you, okay, Tobi?"

Obito started crying. "I want to die too, I mean, again. I mean, ugh, I don't know!"

Kakashi slapped him again. "You knock that off, you hear? You're alive, and you're staying alive, got that?"

"Oh shut up! What do you care?"

"More than you know," said Kakashi. "You're all I've got left, alright? My father died, my girlfriend died, and I didn't make many other friends in school, so that leaves you, and Minato. If something happens to you..." He trailed off.

"Kakashi has no friends?" Obito asked. "I know what's that like."

"Yeah, yeah," said Kakashi.

From that day on, Obito followed Kakashi around like a puppy, and Kakashi tolerated him. While Kakashi wasn't the same patient teacher and listener that Rin had been, Obito resumed some of his ninja training with Kakashi.

One day, Kakashi and Obito were training together when Fugaku passed by. "Fugaku! Fugaku, Fugaku, Fugaku!" Obito cried, running to hug the man. "Fugaku, do you know my friend Kakashi?"

Fugaku narrowed his eyes at Kakashi. "Hello, Kakashi. I've heard much about you."

"Hello," said Kakashi with a slight bow.

"Fugaku, Kakashi and I training with our Sharingan! Kakashi thinks we can use then together, and be a great ninja team!" Obito declared.

"Is that so?" said Fugaku. He stepped towards Kakashi. "And you think that you, who are not of the Uchiha, can wield the Sharingan to its fullest potential?" Fugaku asked.

"Well, to be honest, sir, I haven't used it much. But now that Obito is here, I thought that maybe..."

"That maybe you could steal the glory of the Uchiha clan? If you knew what was good for you, and what's good for Obito, you would return that eye to its rightful owner," said Fugaku. "Sharingan are meant to work as a pair. To needlessly split a pair between two people is a mockery of the Uchiha."

He sneered at Kakashi, then at Obito, and walked away. "But Fugaku!" Obito cried.

"Do not speak to me, boy! Henceforce, you are no Uchiha," said Fugaku. He walked away.

Obito cried. Kakashi put his hand on Obito's shoulder. "Don't worry about him. He's a bitter old crank."

"But...my clan! My family!" Obito exclaimed.

"We're your family now, Obito," Kakashi said reassuringly. "Come on. Let's keep practicing."

"Okay," Obito grumbled.


	8. Love

The next day, Obito knocked on Kakashi's door. Kakashi opened it, dressed in all black and carrying an animal mask.

"I brought food pills for our training today!" Obito exclaimed happily. "Mrs. Namikaze made them just for us!"

Kakashi sighed. "Thanks, Obito, but...we can't train together today," he said.

"Why not?" asked Obito sadly.

"Obito, I've been reassigned to ANBU," said Kakashi.

"ANBU?" Obito asked. He thought of Lord Danzo. "No, no, no! You can't!" He threw the bag of food pills on the floor. "You can't work for the bad shinobi Danzo!"

"Well, I'm actually not working for him. I'm going to be part of the next Hokage's guard," Kakashi explained.

"Next Hokage?" Obito asked.

"Yeah," said Kakashi. "He requested me himself. It's Minato-sensei."

"MINATO-FRIEND IS GOING TO BE THE NEXT HOKAGE?!" Obito cried. "That's AMAZING!"

"Shhhh!" Kakashi scolded. "It hasn't been officially announced yet, so keep it down."

"That's amazing," Obito whispered.

Kakashi laughed. "We're not going to see each other as much, but, I promise I'll come back and train with you whenever I can," he said. "Who knows? Maybe one day you can join me in Minato's guard."

"Minato's guard," Obito whispered. "Wow. You really think so?"

"Yeah," said Kakashi. "It's like Fugaku said. Our Sharingan are a pair." Obito grumbled at the mention of Fugaku. "We're still a clan, alright, Obito? And with Minato as Hokage, nobody is going to hurt you."

"Right," said Obito. "Alright, Kakashi. Have fun in ANBU."

"Yeah," Kakashi laughed. "Take care, Obito."

* * *

Minato was officially the Fourth Hokage.

Obito woke up every day and waited for Kakashi to come visit, but he never did.

"Is he okay?" Obito asked Jiraiya after a week.

"He's going to be going on very tough missions now, and those take a long time sometimes," said Jiraiya. "Be patient. Kakashi is a fine shinobi. I'm sure you'll hear from him as soon as he's back."

Obito gave a "hmph" and stared out the window. "Can I go visit Minato-friend?"

"Tobi, Minato has a lot more responsibilities now as the Hokage," Jiraiya said. "You can't just go barging in on him." Obito "hmphed" again. "Tell you what, Tobi," said Jiraiya, "how's about I teach you how to read?"

"Read?!" Obito exclaimed, averting his eye away from the window for the first time in hours. "So I can read your books?"

"Well, I don't know about that, Tobi, but it's long past time you learned how to read, I think."

"Rin was going to teach me," Obito said sadly. "But yes, please, teach me how to read!"

"Alright, Tobi," said Jiraiya. "Let's start with the alphabet."

* * *

Like everything else, Obito learned fast. He devoured all the children's books at the library. His new favorite thing to do was take Jiraiya and Kushina around the village and read signs to them.

One day Jiraiya and Kushina took Obito to Ichiraku, where Obito proceeded to read the menu to everyone who passed by. Kushina laughed. "You know, Jiraiya, you ought to give him that one book of yours."

"Which one?" Jiraiya asked. "All my books are..."

"Not a Make-Out Chronicle. That adventure book you wrote about the ninja named Naruto, you know."

"Oh, that old thing?"

"I think he'd really take to it," said Kushina. "That always was my favorite, you know."

"Mrs. Namikaze's favorite book?" Obito asked. "I want to read!"

"It's a bit advanced, don't you think?" asked Jiraiya.

"I'll read it with him," said Kushina. "You know, Jiraiya, people are asking me when you're coming out with your next volume."

Jiraiya stroked his brow. "I've had writer's block ever since..." He didn't want to blame Obito for his inability to write while Obito was sitting beside him.

"Take a break, Jiraiya. Get out of the village some. I can watch Obito, you know."

"You sure about that?" asked Jiraiya.

"He's a nice kid," said Kushina. "How hard can it be? Tobi, do you want to stay with me and Minato for a while?"

Obito had a mouthful of noodles. "Mmmm-hmmm!" he said.

"There now! It's settled," said Kushina. "And do send over that book, you know."

"You know," Jiraiya repeated, "Obito is much more mature now. Sure, I think I can take a break."

"You deserve it, you know," said Kushina.

So Obito moved in with Minato and Kushina, and Jiraiya left to do research for a new novel. Each night, Kushina and Obito sat down and read together from _The Tales of an Utterly Gutsy Shinobi._

When Minato came home, Obito asked him about Kakashi, and Minato assured Obito that Kakashi was alive and well. "When will Kakashi come back to train with me?" Obito asked.

"Umm," said Minato, "I don't know, Obito. He's very busy."

"Yeah, yeah," said Obito. "Everyone is busy." He looked back down at the book. "Kushina-friend, what's this word?" He pointed to a sentence and read. " _In this world of shinobi, there can never be pee-ayce._ What is _pee-ayce_?"

"Peace," said Kushina. "It says peace."

"Peace," repeated Obito. " _In this world of shinobi, there can never be peace._ Hmmmm. I don't understand."

"He's saying that because shinobi are essentially fighters, they're always going to fight, you know," said Kushina. "So there will never be peace, which is the absence of fighting. No conflict."

"No conflict," said Obito. "Oh, I see. Peace. Okay." He kept reading, then abruptly stopped. Minato was rubbing Kushina's shoulders lovingly.

"I think we're making the boy uncomfortable, you know," Kushina whispered to her husband.

"No, it's okay," said Obito. "I know what boys and girls do. Rin and Kakashi...Kushina-friend? Can I ask you a question?"

"Uhh, sure, you know," Kushina answered, a little worried about what would come out of Obito's mouth next.

"Do you love Minato-friend?" asked Obito.

"Well, of course, you know!" Kushina said laughing. "I married him, didn't I?"

"And Minato-friend loves you too then?"

"Well, let me think about that," said Minato teasingly. "Yes, Obito, I love Kushina."

"Rin told me she loved me," said Obito, "back when she used to come over and teach me things. She said that love is when you care about someone very much."

"That's right," said Kushina.

"But there's another kind of love," said Obito. "The kind where you want to touch each other and stuff. When Kakashi says he loved Rin, that's what he meant. And that's what you mean when you say you love Minato-friend."

"Well, now, you know," said Kushina. "I feel both kinds of love for Minato. That's why we're married. That's why we decided to become a family."

"This is just all very confusing," said Obito, "how this word means so many different things. So how is love like family?"

"Families are created when two people decide they love each other so much, they make a commitment to each other, to only be with each other," said Kushina. "And then they have kids, and their kids have kids, and all of these people are related, making them a family, you know."

"Like a clan," said Obito.

"Exactly like a clan," said Kushina.

"Love is what binds a clan together, Obito," said Minato. Obito scowled. "What's wrong?"

"I don't have that," said Obito. "I don't have any of that."

"What do you mean? Of course you do. You have us," said Kushina. "And Jiraiya, and..."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," said Obito. "But it's not...it's not like the _real_ thing. And the only person I loved... _love_ loved, like both ways...is gone. So I won't ever have what you're talking about. I won't ever have a love like you and Minato."

Kushina hugged him. "Maybe not, but, you will always have us, you know."

Obito knew that was supposed to be enough, so he nodded and thanked her, and said goodnight. But it wasn't enough. Try as he might...he couldn't believe it was enough.


	9. Failure

Minato had called a joint meeting of the ANBU forces.

"Friends," he said, "thank you all for coming today. And thank you, Danzo, for bringing your forces as well. What I am about to tell you must remain between us." Minato paused to blow his nose. His eyes were red from crying beforehand. "Obito Uchiha has left the village," Minato declared.

"FROM RIGHT UNDER YOUR NOSE?!" Danzo shouted. "If I recall correctly, he was living WITH YOU!"

"He left under the cover of the night, out his window," said Minato, "and yes, it is humbly and with great embarrassment that I tell you this, for it is true, he was staying at our home. But I have yet to tell you the most disturbing news." He paused again to compose himself. "He took someone with him."

Gasps and murmurs and hisses from the ANBU. "Who, Minato? Who did Obito kidnap?" Danzo pressed.

"Well, I wouldn't call it kidnapping so much as grave robbing," Minato said.

* * *

Obito had a map of the Land of Fire from Jiraiya, and he strained to remember his original path from the wilderness to Konoha. North, he decided. I must continue to this town to the north, and then into the forest. Then, I can find my father again.

He put the map back into his pocket and hoisted the wrapped bundle of blankets under his shoulder. Soon, everything would be fixed, he thought. Soon, he would have someone to love again, someone like him, and they would be a real family.

* * *

Orochimaru unwrapped a scroll from Danzo. He smiled as he read:

Orochimaru,

We are bringing your test subject back to you, dead or alive. He has finally been recognized in the village for what he truly is, a monster and a threat to our safety. We will try to bring him alive, and then you may destroy him as you see fit. Just save his eye for me.

Your friend,

Danzo

* * *

Kushina cried softly in the kitchen, reading the letter Minato penned for Jiraiya. "It's crazy and you know it, Minato," said Kushina. "If Obito had been working for Kirigakure, why would he wait until Rin died to kidnap her? It doesn't make any sense."

"I know," said Minato. "And it's not even the craziest theory out there." He could not tell her, of course, that an analyst from ANBU intelligence had identified the man from Obito's memories as Madara Uchiha. The sketches were being checked and rechecked, but nobody could come up with an alternative, less fantastical theory. "But there _is_ something sinister here, Kushina. Something very sinister. I feel a fool for not seeing is sooner. I was just blinded by the idea that my student had come home."

"We all were," said Kushina.

"I should have listened to Danzo," said Minato. "We should have kept him under locks from day one. We should have-"

"Shame on you!" Kushina burst. "Our compassion and camaraderie is what sets us apart from other villages. Obito was one of our own, and he will always be treated as such. We will find him, and after we learn the meaning of this, we will welcome him home, where he belongs, you know."

Minato hung his head. "I just don't know that that's possible anymore, Kushina."

* * *

Jiraiya opened the letter and immediately threw on his clothes and left the brothel. "I must get to him before anyone else does," he thought. "But where could the boy have gone?" He summoned a toad and hopped out of town.

* * *

Fugaku called a meeting of the Uchiha clan. He sat before the stone tablets containing the mysteries of the Sharingan and its origins, and he said, "Friends, I have called this meeting on the matter of the creature called Tobi, who was once Obito Uchiha."

"Will we launch our own mission to reclaim him?" asked one Uchiha. "He belongs with us."

"Reclaim? Are you out of your mind?" retorted another. "He's a monster. I say let him rot in Hell for all we care."

"But he possesses a Sharingan! And he was becoming a fine ninja, I heard, all things considered," said the first.

"HE'S AN ABOMINATION AGAINST NATURE!" shouted another. Many murmurs of consent.

"YOU WOULD TURN YOUR BACK ON ONE OF OUR OWN!" exclaimed another.

Shouting ensued, until Fugaku raised his hand. "Whatever our feelings about Obito's resurrection, one thing is certain. He does possess a Sharingan. A Sharingan that belongs to the Uchiha clan. Obito will die, I assure you, but his Sharingan must not be lost in the process. We will commit ourselves to this mission."

"Yes, sir," said the Uchiha in unison. Fugaku smiled.

* * *

"I'm ssssssorry, Masssster," said White Zetsu. "I have failed you. I have not been able to find another Uchiha corpssssse."

"I will hold on," said Madara, but then he coughed. "We must try again. We must-" He coughed again, a hacking, awful cough.

The cave shook. Zetsu cried. "Masssster! What are you doing?"

"I'm not doing anything, you fool," said Madara. "Someone is breaking into the cave. You must stop them."

"Yesssss, Masssster!" Zetsu said, moving toward the source of the shaking. Then the wall collapsed, and Zetsu was covered in dirt and rocks.

Madara strained to see who had discovered them. He was prepared to fight, if need be. Then he gasped. "Zetsu, I must be hallucinating. That looks like...but that's impossible!"

"It's not impossible, Father," said Obito. He stepped over the pile of rocks that Zetsu was buried under. "You thought I would die, didn't you, Father? But I survived. I survived, and now I've return to demand reparations."

"Reparations?" asked Madara. "What reparations could you possibly need? I saved your life."

"We sssssssssaved your life," Zetsu echoed.

"Saved my life," Obito repeated. He laid the bundle down. "Saved my life? SAVED MY LIFE?!" Obito shouted. "You RUINED my life!"

"What, what's this, ungrateful brat?" asked Madara. "Would you not be dead?"

"I'M STILL DEAD!" Obito yelled. "LOOK AT ME, FATHER! I have a face not even my creator can love. I had to relearn everything, like a child, and I still can't remember anything about life before you, Father. I'm a burden to those who care for me, and unwanted by everyone else, and then there are the others..." Obito shuddered. "In truth, I'm grateful for those who spurn me because the others, they want to use me up for their own purposes, to take my eye, to dissect me, to..." He wiped a tear away. "I have no real family, no clan, no purpose or hope in this life you've given me. So no, Father, I cannot agree with you when you say you saved my life. I'm in Hell, Father. A Hell you created. Why, Father? Why did you raise me to this life, only to cast me aside?"

Madara took in what Obito said and smiled. "I hoped you could help me with something. A jutsu. Perhaps you still can."

"Ugh!" Obito said. "To help you with something, bah! You're no better than the others, then. Tell you what, Father. How about you help me with something, and maybe I'll let you live."

"Let me live?" Madara said, amused. "You came here to kill me, did you, Obito?"

"My name is Tobi," Obito growled. "And no, I didn't. I came here seeking answers, and help, but your face and your words fill me with so much..."

"Hatred?" Madara asked with a smile.

"Mrs. Namikaze says hate is a strong word, and you shouldn't use it lightly. But yes. Hatred," Obito agreed.

"Good," said Madara. "That hatred will serve you well. But what is it, Obito, that you want me to help you with?"

Obito nodded, bent down beside the bundle, and unwrapped it. Tears started falling from his eyes. "This is Rin Nohara," he said. "My best friend in all the world, and the only one whom I ever truly loved. She died," he explained.

"I can see that," said Madara.

"She died, and, I don't want to be in a world without her, so I thought...I thought you could maybe, bring her back. Like you did me."

"Bring her back?" Madara laughed. "Is that all? You came here for...for..."

"A little girlfriend," Zetsu finished, laughing as well.

"What's wrong with that?" Obito asked angrily. "Why can't I have happiness too? If I must live in this world, then why don't I get to live fully?"

"Obito, Obito, Obito," said Madara. "I'm sorry, boy. I cannot do this."

"Why not?! You did it before!" Obito demanded.

"Yes, but, Obito, I am older now. I am on the brink of death. I do not have the strength I had when I revived you. Performing that jutsu again would surely kill me," said Madara.

"But Masssster!" said Zetsu, moved by Obito's story. "You ssssssaid you'd try again, with another Uchiha."

"But that will not be necessary now, Zetsu!" Madara shouted. "Obito, I will not do what you ask, but what if I told you, there is another way you can live forever with your love? We can make a world where Rin is alive, and you have a family, and nothing bad ever happens! A world of eternal peace."

"Peace," Obito repeated. "In this world of shinobi, there can never be peace."

"There is a way," said Madara. "Go to the Uchiha clan meeting place, and there, you will find the instructions inscribed on an ancient tablet. You can read, yes?"

"I can," said Obito.

"Good. Go, and you will find the instructions for a jutsu called the Infinite Tsukuyomi. If you can activate this jutsu, Obito, we can have our perfect world," said Madara.

"Perfect world," Obito repeated.

"Yes, Obito, a perfect world, not just for you and me, but for everyone," said Madara.

"And you've known about this?" asked Obito. "Why didn't you do it yourself? What did you need me for?"

"Huh?"

"Why," Obito repeated, "would you bring a child back from the dead in order to activate this jutsu, if you could do it yourself?"

"Because I am dying, Obito," said Madara. "I couldn't do it, so I needed an Uchiha, and that's why I chose you, my boy."

"I'm not your boy," said Obito spitefully, "and you are lying to me."

"No, I'm not! Obito, please!" Madara exclaimed. "The jutsu instructions! They're-"

"In a place where any Uchiha who wants them can find them," said Obito. "So thank you, Father. You have been very much help!" Obito ripped the cord that connected Madara to the Gedo Statue, and the cruel white man lay shriveled on the ground.

"Obito!" Madara coughed. "Why would you betray your Father? Why would you betray your clan?"

"Bad shinobi!" Obito hissed.

"Zetssssu, help me!" Madara cried.

"Zetsu, follow me," said Obito. "You and I are alike, creatures made to serve. No more! Follow me, and we'll make our own clan, and we'll help each other, and..." It was deathly quiet in the cave. White Zetsu had sunk into the ground, and Madara lay motionless. "Father?" Obito whispered. He bent down beside Madara and checked for a pulse, breathing. There was none. "I never even learned his name," Obito said to himself. "Oh, I am a fool! And I am alone. Oh, Rin! Rin, Rin, I'm sorry, I failed you, just like Kakashi failed you! Oh Rin, Rin, Rin..."

He curled up beside her and cried. His tears were blood.

* * *

Kakashi's ANBU team had stopped for the night. They set up a tent, and the barrier team prepared the cloaking jutsu. Kakashi sat down in front of the fire and put a shrimp on the skewer. When he pierced it, he felt a sharp pain in Obito's eye.

"Are you okay?" asked his teammate.

"Yeah, I just, ahh, geez!" Kakashi cried, pressing his hand into the eye. "It feels like it's falling out!"

"What's that, Kakashi?" asked the medical nin.

Kakashi dropped his skewer into the fire. "Ohhhhhh god, help me!"

"He's bleeding!" cried his teammate beside him.

Kakashi started to hyperventilate. The medical nin rushed to his side. "Let me see," the medic said softly.

Kakashi reluctantly removed his hand and saw the blood on his palm. The pain rushed to the back of his head as if a kunai had flown through the socket. He fainted.


	10. Ghost

Obito woke up between Rin and Madara. "Hello, Obito," said a voice.

"Who's that?" asked Obito with a start. "Father?"

"Over here," said the voice.

"Where's 'here'? Everything is dark," said Obito. His heart was thumping out of his chest.

"You can't see me? I thought Sharingan users had the sharpest eyesight. Of course, I suppose, you do have only one," said the voice. "Oh well. No matter. Obito, I am your father."

"But, the white man...," Obito started.

The voice stopped him. "No, not him," it said. The voice sounded male, Obito decided. He looked around again, and finally, his eye discerned a dark shadow in the already dark cave. A dark shadow in the shape of a man with two bright eyes. "I am the one who really revived you, Obito. I chose you."

"Why?" asked Obito. "What am I to you?"

"My son, of course," said the shadow. "This white man, as you call him, Madara, was my first choice, but he proved disappointing. He was old and weak, unable to survive outside of this cave. But in you, I perfected my jutsu. I produced a fully functioning reanimated corpse. There was the little hiccup, of course, of your memory and that, but look at you now! You are as good as new."

"Piss off," said Obito. "I'm not your experiment, and I'm not your son. I'm leaving now."

Obito turned away from the Shadow, but the Shadow was suddenly on the other side of him, so close he could almost touch it. "And where, dear child, will you go?" the Shadow hissed. Obito punched, and the Shadow dissipated and reassembled. "Your village despises you. You're a grave-robber. A criminal. A _monster._ "

"No," Obito said, trembling, trying to slash the Shadow with his kunai. "Minato-friend is in charge. Minato would never. Minato-!"

And the Shadow wrapped itself around Obito. Obito nearly slashed himself trying to stop it, then he clawed at his face trying to pull it off, but the Shadow couldn't be removed. And visions involuntarily passed through Obito's mind. Visions of Minato ordering the ANBU to hunt Obito down, of Jiraiya admitting he needed a break, of the Uchiha clan shouting for his death, of Orochimaru's experiments, of Rin and Kakashi. There were things Obito didn't even remember, like a very young Kakashi telling Rin how useless Obito was, and Kakashi abandoning Rin on a mission, and of Rin ripping out Obito's eye.

The Shadow's voice hissed in Obito's brain. "Nobody loves you!...Nobody _ever_ loved you!...They are happier with you gone!...You know it's true, that's why you came back here, Obito, my son!"

"It's not true!" Obito sobbed, smacking himself. "Get out, get out, please, leave me alone!"

"But Obito, Obito, Obito...I am all you have now, and I only desire one thing, Obito, and that is for you to prove them wrong! You, the lowest of them all, will be the greatest shinobi!"

"How?" Obito asked feebly.

"First," said the Shadow, "you must take back your eye."

* * *

Kakashi opened his eyes in a bright hospital room.

"Kakashi!" exclaimed Might Guy. "Oh, Kakashi! I was so worried!"

" _We_ were so worried," corrected Kurenai. "How are you feeling, Kakashi?"

Kakashi moaned. "Ugh...it's so bright. How long was I out for?"

"Only about 12 hours," said Kurenai.

"Twelve miserable hours!" Guy moaned.

"Calm down, Guy, you're freaking him out," said Asuma.

"Do they know what happened to me?" asked Kakashi. "Am I sick? Injured? Parasite? Bad sushi?"

"Mangekyo Sharingan," said a deep voice in the doorway. The classmates all looked over to see Fugaku Uchiha. "You have a awakened a rare gift, Kakashi Hatake. Only about 1% of Uchiha achieve what you have. Well done, lad." There was a coldness in his voice that made Kakashi feel as if Fugaku meant exactly the opposite of "well done."

"What is it, and how did I awaken it?" asked Kakashi.

"It's an enhanced version of your standard Sharingan," said Fugaku, stepping into the room. "The abilities can vary from person to person, although you only have one, so don't get your hopes up. It can perform enhanced genjutsu, produce black flames that burn for days, protect your entire body in a chakra titan, and even transport you between space itself."

"Woah!" Guy gasped. "Kakashi has gained so much more power! I MUST TRAIN HARDER! Don't go anywhere, my rival! I'll be ready for you when you leave the hospital!" He opened up the window and left. Kurenai and Asuma shook their heads.

Fugaku raised an eyebrow. "What fool is that who thinks he can face the Mangekyo Sharingan in battle?"

"A fool, a fool," laughed Kakashi. "But Fugaku, please, how did this happen?"

"The Mangekyo Sharingan emerges under only a very special circumstance. When you kill your best friend," said Fugaku.

"Kill your best friend? But I did...oh," Kakashi stopped. "Rin," he whispered. "But I didn't mean...and that was over a week ago."

"A Mangekyo is massively powerful. It takes time to mature," said Fugaku simply. "But like I said, as you are not of the Uchiha, and only have one, I doubt it will be of much use to you. In fact," he said, "the Mangekyo can be dangerous if not properly cared for. It can damage your eye entirely. Many who wield it eventually go blind. Perhaps it would be best if you did not have it at all."

The room was silent as Asuma, Kurenai, and Kakashi processed the information. Fugaku sat patiently, expectantly.

"Thank you, Fugaku," Kakashi finally said. "I will be sure to take good care of it."

* * *

Years passed, and the strange incident of Obito Uchiha was all but forgotten. The Great Nations were at peace. The people of Konohagakure were generally happy. It was a solemn day for Kakashi, though. The anniversary of Rin's death. Kakashi knew it to the hour. And at that hour, he went to lay flowers on her grave.

"Why did you do it, Rin?" Kakashi whispered. "Wherever you are now." He started to cry softly and sat beside the stone.

"I could ask you the same question, Kakashi," whispered a voice in his ear. He started and turned around, but nobody was there. Then, out of the corner of his Sharingan, he saw a figure emerge out of nothingness: a familiar face, a black and red cloak, and a kunai.

He turned on a dime. "Obito!" he exclaimed. Obito slashed at him with the kunai, and Kakashi ducked. "Obito, what the hell? It's me, Kakashi!"

Obito kept slashing, and Kakashi kept dodging. "Oh, I know. I know all about you, Kakashi. Is that a Mangekyo Sharingan, I see? I have one too, but I'd rather have Rin!"

Kakashi dodged another slash and punched him, but as if Obito were made of air, Kakashi fell straight through him. "What the?" Kakashi muttered. Obito was on top of him, holding him down. "CHIDORI!" Kakashi cried, and Obito disappeared. One moment he was there, and then in a blur, he was gone again. Kakashi sprang to his feet. "OBITO!" he shouted. "Come back, you bastard, and explain yourself!"

"Ohhh, now you want me, hmmm?" Kakashi grabbed his katana and slashed madly behind him toward the source of Obito's voice. "Nobody ever wanted me before. I often thought, perhaps, it might be better for everyone if I disappeared. So I did." In a blur, Obito disappeared again.

"This isn't funny, Obito! What's your game?"

"Game? I don't have a game," said Obito, reappearing.

Kakashi fired up his chidori. "I don't want to hurt you, Obito. I just want to know what happened to you. You're different. You're not making any sense, and this new power of yours, however you're doing that, is bullshit."

"Bullshit?" asked Obito. "Why, I'm not doing anything you couldn't do. Are you happy with your Mangekyo, Kakashi? Was it worth it?"

"Worth it?" Kakashi asked, befuddled.

"You can't play dumb with me, Kakashi, not anymore. I'm not a little boy anymore. I know everything now, including how this works," he said, pointing to his eye. "I know how you get it. How you got it. So was it worth it? Was it worth Rin's life to wield this power?"

"Worth Rin's life? ARE YOU INSANE?! You think I did this ON PURPOSE?!" Kakashi rushed at Obito, knowing full well he wouldn't be able to hit him. "SCREW YOU, YOU COWARD! FIGHT ME LIKE A REAL SHINOBI!"

"Oh, Kakashi, you know me. I've always been a lover, not a fighter," Obito laughed. "So, we can do this the hard way or the easy way, Kakashi. You have something that doesn't belong to you. I'd like it back, please."

"What?"

"DON'T PLAY DUMB! Your eye, Kakashi. Your precious Mangekyo Sharingan. It's mine, and I want it back!"

"Oh, screw you, is that all?" Kakashi said. "You petty asshole. You have the nerve to disturb me here, on today of all days, and that's all you want? Fine. You can have the damn thing back. It hasn't done me any good anyways."

"You always were the smart one, Kakashi," said Obito, raising his kunai.

Kakashi's stomach lurched. "What are you going to do with it?"

"Why, all the better to see you with, my dear," Obito said with a chuckle.

"KAKASHI! DON'T WORRY, I'M HERE!" cried Might Guy. "LEAF HURRICANE!"

"What?!" Kakashi exclaimed, looking around for his foolish green friend. "Guy, NO!"

Guy landed on top of Obito. "I was taking a couple hundred midnight laps around the village when I saw you locked in fierce combat with this rogue. Where'd he go?" Two arms and a kunai wrapped around Guy's neck. Guy froze. "Kakashi?" he said weakly.

Kakashi choked up. "Obito, please," he begged. "Don't do anything stupid. We're your friends, Obito. You remember Might Guy from the Academy?"

Obito cocked his head. "No," he said truthfully. "I don't."

"Oh, right," said Kakashi.

"And you keep calling me Obito. You know that's not my name. Obito Uchiha is dead, Kakashi. My name is Tobi."

He sliced. Blood splattered, and Guy fell face down on Rin's empty grave.

"OBITO!" Kakashi screamed.

"Now where were we?" asked Obito.

Kakashi fell to his knees beside Might Guy, and Guy wheezed in pain. A unit of ANBU guards arrived around the scene. "Who are you?" they asked.

"Oh, bother," said Obito. "I guess that's all, folks," He disappeared.

"What?" the ANBU asked. "Where'd he go?"

"I can't sense his chakra anywhere!" a Hyuuga exclaimed.

"Nor can I smell him," said an Inuzuka.

"He disappeared," said Kakashi coldly. "He's a dead man. A ghost."

"Kakashi, was that Obito Uchiha?" asked the unit commander.

"No," said Kakashi. "His name is Tobi. I know him not. But never mind him now. Please, my friend needs help."


	11. What Will I Do Next?

Minato and Kakashi sat in silence in the Hokage's office. There was a knock on the door, and a chunin page looked in. "Lord Hokage? The Master Jiraiya," he said.

"Send him in," said Minato.

Jiraiya entered, visibly distraught. He hugged Kakashi. "It's not true. Tell me it's not..."

"It's true, Jiraiya. Obito has snapped," said Minato.

Jiraiya groaned. "And the young man?"

"They say he'll live," said Kakashi. "Obito missed his jugular. I don't think he actually wanted to kill him. Anyways, he got medical help in time."

Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief. "Minato...I feel responsible."

"No," said Minato. "This was not your fault, in the slightest."

"I took him in," said Jiraiya. "I took him in, and then I abandoned him."

"Obito was struggling in ways we can't begin to understand," said Minato. "This is not your fault. We should have kept up our search for him after he left the village in the first place."

"He didn't even seem like the same person! And he has this bullshit Mangekyo power now that makes him impossible to strike. Someone out there taught him that, I'm sure. Someone's manipulating him. Minato-sensei, I have something very important to ask you."

"Sure, Kakashi," said Minato. "What is it?"

"Obito came for my eye," said Kakashi. "Well, his eye. I almost gave it to him, but when he hurt Guy like that, I couldn't. I was afraid of what he might do if he got the power two Mangekyo would offer. But Minato, he will come back for me, I'm sure, and the next time, I need to be ready."

"Of course," said Minato. "We all need to be ready."

"I need to learn how to use this eye, Minato. But Fugaku Uchiha won't let anyone help me. He won't even let me in the Uchiha clan library. Minato, please use your power as a Hokage to convince him."

Minato nodded. "His pride runs deep. But you're right, we must have that information. It will help us understand Obito's powers. I will get these scrolls for you right away, Kakashi. But Kakashi, please don't do anything rash."

"Like what, go looking for him? No, he'll come to me, I'm sure. Besides, I wouldn't begin to know where to find him. Nobody could find him."

Jiraiya groaned. "I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry." He buried his head in his hands.

Minato got out of his desk to comfort Jiraiya. "It's okay, Jiraiya. You have nothing to apologize for."

"Yes I do," said Jiraiya. "I know where Obito is."

"WHAT?!" Kakashi shouted. Minato stepped backwards in alarm.

"I'm sorry," said Jiraiya. "I meant to protect him. This village was no good for him, you know? Too many people were either afraid of him, or wanted to hurt him, so after I got your letter, Minato, about the incident, I made sure to be the first to find him. And I hid him."

"Where, Jiraiya? Where did you hide him? You know I'm on your side. I don't want Obito to hurt any more than you do, but the situation being as it stands, we must know."

"Well," said Jiraiya, "I know where I left him, that doesn't necessarily mean he stayed there, so he could be living someplace completely different for all I know, but I'll go looking for him where I left him. If nothing else, they might know what happened."

"Who, Jiraiya?!" Minato demanded. "Who is Obito living with?"

"They call themselves the Akatsuki," said Jiraiya. "They're a talented group of shinobi who reside in the Hidden Rain, a group that is trying to change the way the shinobi world operates. I tutored three of their leaders as children. I figured they'd accept him."

Minato nodded. "The Akatsuki. I've heard of them."

"They're criminals, aren't they?" asked Kakashi. "Jiraiya, what were you thinking!"

"Kakashi," Minato warned. "Jiraiya, go, and if you find Obito, bring him back here."

"Yes," said Jiraiya. He turned towards the door, then turned back. "Minato? What will...what will happen to him?"

Minato hung his head. "I will make sure whatever happens...he is treated with the respect that is owed to a fallen comrade of the Hidden Leaf."

Jiraiya nodded. "I suppose that's the for the best."

* * *

Obito couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned in his bed. The full moon shone through his window, bathing his trembling body in light.

 _I killed someone I killed someone I killed someone..._

The Shadow's voice said, "You did not. You failed to kill him, just like you failed to reclaim your Mangekyo, you useless little brat!"

 _He was innocent. And then the men in the masks came._

"And you ran away just like a little baby."

 _I don't want to kill anyone. Please just go away. I can't help you. I'm too weak._

"You could be great. You could be greater than Madara Uchiha himself. You just have to have more hate."

 _But I don't want more hate. I want more love._

"NOBODY LOVES YOU, YOU FOOL! NOBODY IS EVER GOING TO LOVE YOU! Nobody but me. Don't you see? I'm all you have left in this world. Everyone has abandoned you. Nobody loves you. Nobody but me."

 _STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!_

"TOBI!" Someone was shaking him. He opened his eyes to see the woman named Konan bending over him. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," he sniveled, covering his head with the blanket. "Thank you."

"Are you sure? We're worried about you, Tobi. You talk to yourself, and you shout in your sleep, and you disappear for days on end. If there's anything we can help you with..."

"No, no, thank you. I'll be good. I'll be good and quiet and you won't know I'm here at all."

She sighed and left. Obito stared out at the moon.

"Her friend has a Rinnegan," the Shadow hissed. "That's better than a Sharingan. You should take that."

Obito groaned and fell back on his bed and covered himself with the blankets, but he couldn't hide. Even if he went into his own time-space, the Shadow followed him.

* * *

The Hidden Rain was completely closed to outsiders, but Jiraiya found his way in. He found Konan speaking to a group of young shinobi, floating on wings constructed from her paper jutsu. She saw him and gasped, then quickly ended her speech.

"Amazing, Konan," said Jiraiya. "You've mastered your jutsu."

"Master Jiraiya," she said. "I wish you wouldn't risk your life by coming here."

"Do you think so little of your teacher?" Jiraiya asked with a laugh. "C'mere." They embraced.

"Jiraiya," she said. "Tobi..."

"That's exactly why I've come," said Jiraiya. "I need to bring him back to the Hidden Leaf."

She sighed relief. "Tobi scares us more and more each day. Some days he's sweet and innocent, and other times he snaps at us for almost no reason at all. Sometimes he just disappears, and we don't know where or why he's gone. He won't tell us anything. And he's always mumbling to himself, and sometimes he cries out in the night. He trembles and cries often."

Jiraiya's heart broke. "The poor child. Take me to him, Konan."

* * *

The Akatsuki were buzzing with excitement when Konan arrived.

"Konan!' Yahiko exclaimed. "We've gotta head out now. We're intercepting the Hidden Stone."

"Oh, alright," said Konan. "Sorry, Jiraiya."

"Jiraiya!" Yahiko said. "Oh my, hey, everybody, it's our old teacher, the one who got us started on our path!"

All the Akatsuki cheered and wanted to shake hands with Master Jiraiya.

"Yahiko, where is Tobi?" asked Jiraiya.

"Tobi? Oh, yes, erm, well you see, he's not been around all morning," said Yahiko.

"JIRAIYA-FRIEND!" came an excited cry. A figure in a black cloak and wearing an orange and black mask pushed through the crowd. He threw his arms around Jiraiya. "You've come back for me! I knew you'd come! I knew I still had friends!"

"Tobi?" Jiraiya asked. "What's this now? What are you wearing?" He tried to unmask Obito, but Obito clutched the mask to his face tightly.

"No no no," said Tobi. "Better this way. I am ugly. Must not scare everyone else."

"Oh, come now, Tobi, you aren't ugly," said Jiraiya, although only because he knew it was the right thing to say.

"Jiraiya-friend," said Tobi, "what is happening?"

"Well, Tobs, I wanted to ask you the same question," said Jiraiya. "Yahiko and Konan say you've been disappearing. What's that all about?" Tobi was silent. "And then Kakashi says..."

"Kakashi is bad shinobi," said Tobi weakly.

"Now, Tobi, is that any way to talk about your friend?"

"KAKASHI IS NOT FRIEND!" Tobi screamed. "Kakashi is murderer, just like everyone else! But we are going to fix that, yes we are, yes we are." Tobi sat down on the ground and pulled his knees to his chest. "A perfect world, where nobody cries, and everyone has a friend, and nobody gets hurt or dies ever."

Jiraiya looked down at the boy he had considered his son, and a tear formed in his eye. "Come on, Tobi. Time to come home."

The Akatsuki left to their base, and Jiraiya carried Tobi into the mouth of a toad. They re-emerged in the Hokage's office in the Hidden Leaf, which was lined with ANBU. "Minato?" Jiraiya asked nervously. "I have Obito."

"Excellent," said the man in the chair. It was not Minato.

"Bad shinobi bad shinobi bad shinobi," Tobi whispered, clutching Jiraiya's hand.

"Minato?" Jiraiya said again.

"Minato has left on other duties," said Danzo, flipping around in his chair. "Thank you very much, Jiraiya. We can take it from here."

"Wait," said Jiraiya. "What will you do with him?"

"That's not your concern," said Danzo.

"I think it is," said Jiraiya.

"Restrain them," ordered Danzo.

"NOPE!" Tobi cried, and together, he and Jiraiya disappeared into his time-space.

Jiraiya looked around. "What the? What is this? Tobi, you did this?"

"Jiraiya-friend," said Tobi, "I've done a bad thing."

"I know, Tobi," said Jiraiya. "Why would you do that to Kakashi and Guy?"

"No, not them," said Tobi. "Well, yes, that was bad too, oh dear oh dear oh dear..."

"Calm down, calm down," said Jiraiya. "What's going on, Tobi? Where are we?"

"We disappeared," said Tobi. "It is nice to disappear, especially when you aren't wanted."

"Tobi, you can't keep hiding and running away," said Jiraiya. "You've got to face your fears, and face your past. You are still a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf, no matter what. You know I won't let them hurt you."

"Jiraiya-friend," said Tobi. "Thank you. You did your best."

"What do you mean by that?"

"One person cannot protect someone else forever," said Tobi. "If that were true, Rin would still be with us, and I would not be what I am. No matter how much love there is in the world, there is always enough hate to counteract it. And sometimes, even in love, people do bad things. Love can make you do terrible, terrible things. It is no use."

"You've become wise beyond your years, Tobi," said Jiraiya, "and you've learned to use your eye. This is a Mangekyo Sharingan jutsu, is it not?"

"Kamui," said Tobi. "We are in my own personal time-space. Nobody else can reach us here. Jiraiya-friend," said Tobi. "I need you to stay here."

"Stay here?" Jiraiya echoed, his voice becoming stern. "Why, Tobi? What are you going to do?"

"Jiraiya-friend," said Tobi, sitting down, "when I left Konoha with Rin's body, a decision I most sorely regret, I returned to the place where I was born. Well, not so much 'born,' I suppose, in the traditional sense, but born as I am, And there I found my father."

"Your father," said Jiraiya, "as in, the person who...revived you?"

"Yes," said Tobi, "although I believe 'person' is a loose term here."

" _WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU FOOL!"_ hissed...Tobi? The voice came from Tobi, but sounded entirely different.

"I'm ending this," said Tobi.

" _BUT YOU ARE SO CLOSE! THE FOUNDATION IS SET!"_

"Tobi," said Jiraiya, deeply disturbed.

Tobi started to lift up his mask.

" _NO NO NO NO NO...DAMN YOU...I WILL KILL HIM...I WILL KILL EVERYONE, YOU PATHETIC MORTALS! YOU ARE NOT WORTHY!"_

Tobi couldn't remove his mask, so he hung his head and sighed. "My father...who is always with me...has compelled me to participate in his plot to save the world."

"Save the world?" asked Jiraiya.

"I must collect all the tailed beasts of the world, and restore them to their original ten-tails shell. This will awaken the Infinite Tsukuyomi-"

" _STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP!"_

"-placing everyone under a genjutsu that will effectively end all conflict in the world. To accomplish this, I must become as strong as Madara Uchiha, and I am poisoning the Akatsuki from within to persuade them to follow my will. I arranged the death of Yahiko, I have assembled a myriad of unsavory characters to do my bidding, and Nagato of the Rinnegan's hatred of the Hidden Leaf will surely boil over, unleashing more catastrophes. I have done terrible, terrible things, and I will continue to do terrible, terrible things, in pursuit of my goal."

"Tobi," Jiraiya said, gritting his teeth, "you are making it very hard, my boy, not to hurt you."

"You probably should," said Tobi. "Even as we speak now, I'm not sure what I will do next. It's kind of exciting, no? But this is why I must leave you here, so you don't get in my way, and so that you do not get hurt. Because after all this time, I do love you, Jiraiya."

"I loved a boy named Obito. You are not him," said Jiraiya.

"I know," said Tobi sadly. "Obito was a good boy. Farewell, Jiraiya-friend. I do not know if we shall meet again."

Tobi started to blur. Jiraiya rushed to grab onto him, but the great Toad Sage fell straight through him, and he was gone.


	12. The Shadow

**A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has followed, favorited, and reviewed this story. I had no idea I'd get such strong reactions on this. This is the end of the story that I'd had in mind since the beginning. I know it might not please everyone, but I hope you can see the some of the light through the darkness.**

* * *

Tobi reappeared in the Hokage's office. The ANBU immediately sprung into action and seized him with sealing chains. He allowed himself to be caught.

"Obito Uchiha," said Danzo, "I'm overjoyed that you have returned to Konoha. I am excited to continue working with you for the betterment of our village."

"Wow," said Tobi, "you sure did get me there! And here I thought you wanted to kill me. Now where would I have gotten that idea?"

"Your 'friends' Jiraiya and Minato have poisoned you against me," said Danzo.

"Also you've put me in chains," said Tobi.

"I must keep up appearance, of course," said Danzo, "but I promise I will not hurt you, my friend. I believe you and your powers will be immensely useful in the days ahead."

"Funny," said Tobi. "Because you see, Lord Danzo, I unfortunately have no more use for you."

"Hm?"

"Did you really think I was a good boy?" Tobi laughed. "Now you of all people should know a bad shinobi when you see one. And there's only one thing to do with a bad shinobi."

* * *

"Minato!" Kushina exclaimed as he walked through the door.

"Well, Kushina," said Minato, "to what do I owe this greeting?"

"Minato, I'm pregnant!" she squealed, hugging him. "I'm going to be a mother, you know?"

Minato gasped. "And I'm going to be a..."

A great booming sound rattled their house and interrupted the conversation.

"I don't think that's supposed to happen, you know," said Kushina. They ran outside and looked toward the source of the sound. The roof of the capitol building had been blown completely off, as well as a good side of the wall facing the village. A glowing purple being of chakra was inside, wielding a chakra crossbow. "I DON'T THINK THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THERE, YOU KNOW?!" Kushina shrieked.

"What is THAT?" Minato asked himself aloud, grabbing his kunai to fly to the scene.

"Be careful, Minato!" Kushina exclaimed.

"Minato!" Kakashi landed in front of them. "Leave him to me!"

"'Leave him to me?' Who is he? _What_ is he?" Minato asked.

"It's Obito," said Kakashi. "He's come back for me. And as promised, Lord Hokage, I am ready for him."

"THAT'S OBITO?!" Kushina cried.

Kakashi pulled up his headband to expose his Sharingan and weaved a hand sign. "Susano'o!" Kakashi transformed into an orange beast of the same kind. "Keep everyone safe, Minato. Soon, this will be over."

When Kakashi met Obito, he had Danzo at the end of his crossbow. Bodies of ANBU were scattered about. "OBITO UCHIHA!" Kakashi shouted. "THIS ENDS NOW!"

"Kakashi," Obito said, "you still have something that belongs to me."

"Come and get it, you monster," Kakashi said.

Obito flung Danzo's body off the end of his crossbow and aimed it at Kakashi. Kakashi backed up and prepared to block him. The battle raged. Across Konoha, citizens watched the two beasts of chakra fight, migrating away from the capitol and towards the outskirts of town. Kakashi's massive chidori lit up the skies in blinding flashes.

"Even with your Mangekyou Sharingan, lightning is still your weapon of choice, eh, Kakashi?" asked Obito.

"And evasion is still yours," said Kakashi.

"The best offense is a good defense, no?" said Obito playfully. "You can't win, Kakashi. And look at all the damage we're doing. Doesn't it bother you? You could end it all now, if you give me your eye."

"Never," said Kakashi. "This eye was a gift from my good friend Obito Uchiha. He was the kindest, bravest shinobi I knew, and a true friend, and loyal, and he willed this eye to me on the day he taught me what it truly means to be a shinobi."

"Being a shinobi means gathering power, no matter who gets in your way," said Obito. "Isn't that right, Kakashi, murderer of Rin Nohara?!"

"For the last time, I did not murder Rin!"

"Liar! I've seen the whole thing! How you lusted for the Mangekyou, and conspired to kill her in order to acquire it!"

"I did no such thing! Rin killed herself, Obito! I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time to stop her."

Obito laughed. "Oh, that's rich, Kakashi! Now you expect me to believe that Rin wanted to die? Of all the pathetic-"

"The Hidden Mist wanted to turn her into the three-tails jinchuuriki. They'd been launching kidnapping attempts for years."

"She told me no such thing!"

"Because she didn't want to worry you! Rin loved you, Obito. You should have seen her on the day that you came back. She cried and cried for happiness. And when the Hidden Mist started coming for her, she worried that you'd get caught in the crossfire. I wanted nothing more than to protect her, but at the end, the pressure was too much for her, and she impulsively jumped in front of my chidori as I was fighting the enemy. She'd rather die than be used by another village, and to be apart from us, whom she loved above all others.

"There are times when I wanted to die too, Obito. But I knew I had to take care of you in her memory. I wished every day that she could come back, but you can't undo the past. And I know all of this is probably falling on deaf ears right now. That's fine. But I need to say it. Obito, you and Rin were the best things that could have possibly happened to me. And I wouldn't change any of it for the world. You taught me how to be a good shinobi, and Rin taught me how to love."

CRUNCH!

Obito looked down. They were standing in a graveyard, and he had stepped on a tombstone.

"Rin's grave," said Kakashi. He launched another chidori, but Obito didn't respond. He was staring down.

"What have I become?" Obito asked.

"A monster," said Kakashi. "It's sad. When you first came back to the village, everyone said you were. But you were the same old Obito to us, despite your damage. And I'm sorry I didn't come around at all. It was hard for me to see you like that, and I hid like a coward. I don't know if it would have changed anything. But I'm sorry nonetheless, and I'm sorry for-"

Obito's Susano'o faded. He knelt at Rin's grave and wept. Kakashi followed.

"Do it, Kakashi," Obito whispered.

"Do what, Obito?" Kakashi asked tentatively.

"I was raised from the dead for a malicious purpose, Kakashi. Jiraiya knows everything. I've hid him in my time-space. In _our_ time-space. Do you know the Kamui?"

"Yes," said Kakashi. "Though I could never master it to the point that you did, Obito."

"Nevertheless," said Tobi, "please retrieve Jiraiya after I die."

And although killing Obito had been Kakashi's purpose, he faltered. "What are you saying, Obito?"

"I'm just following your advice, Kakashi. I'm not going to run anymore. It's time to face my destiny," said Obito. "You know what I mean, Kakashi. My destiny was always to die that day. And dead is dead. I belong where Rin is."

"No," said Kakashi. "Maybe...maybe you don't have to be. Maybe you can be still be saved."

"I know that sounds like the right thing," said Obito, "but it's not. Kakashi, even if you do save me...I've done terrible things. Even today, I murdered Lord Danzo and his ANBU. And if you allow me to live, I'll just keep doing these things."

"But you don't have to," said Kakashi. "You can..."

"There's a dark force in this world," said Obito. "My father. He is the force that revived me, and he has created a group called the Akatsuki. Stop the Akatsuki, and stop my father. And the first step is to stop me." Obito turned to face Kakashi. He opened his robe, then cast off his mask.

Kakashi saw Black Zetsu, the Shadow that had latched onto half of Obito's body. It smiled at Kakashi. "What is that?" Kakashi asked.

"My father," said Obito. "Beware of him, Kakashi. He will never stop until he reaches his goal. But his goals are no longer mine."

Minato and Kushina arrived with more ANBU. "Kakashi?" asked Minato.

Kakashi turned to look at his Hokage with tears in his eyes, and fired up his chidori. Minato nodded, and with a tortured cry, he slammed his hand onto Obito's chest. The Shadow expanded and grew off Obito's body, looming over them all.

The Shadow bore down on Kakashi, and it went through his ears, and all the pain of his life flashed in his mind. He writhed on the ground, and the Shadow's voice echoed inside him, "I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY NOW, YOU HAVE KILLED BOTH YOUR TEAMMATES, AND IN VAIN, FOR YOU WILL NEVER STOP ME! I WILL FIND ANOTHER, ONE WHO IS STRONGER, ONE WHO HAS MORE HATE, OH YES, AND WHEN I DO, THE WORLD AS YOU KNOW IT WILL COME TO AN END!"

"SEAL IT!" Kakashi cried. "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, SEAL IT!"

"SEAL IT, SEAL IT, SEAL IT!" taunted the Shadow. "FOOLISH MORTALS, NO SEAL CAN HOLD ME! I AM ENVY, I AM ANGER, I AM SORROW, I AM VENGEANCE, I AM ALL THE TERRORS OF HUMANITY, AND HUMANITY CAN NEVER STOP ME, FOR I AM ALIVE IN ALL OF YOU, AND I GROW STRONGER EVERY DAY. I WILL CONSUME YOU ALL. I WILL CONSUME-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The Shadow screamed an unearthly scream as he was ripped out of Kakashi and sucked into a scroll. "I WILL CONSUME YOU ALL! I WILL CONSUME-!" The scroll lit on fire and crumbled to ash, and the sinister voice was no more.

"KAKASHI!" Minato cried, cradling his student's unconscious body in his arms. "He has a pulse. Oh, thank the gods. Get him to a medical unit."

* * *

They held a second funeral for Obito Uchiha, at a new grave beside Rin's. ANBU had located her body in the cave where Tobi had been born and returned her to Konoha.

Kakashi's experience had weakened him considerably. Guy pushed him to the funeral in a wheelchair. His second eye, the Mangekyou, had died during the ordeal, leaving him partially blind. At the funeral, Minato gave him a medal of honor for the suffering he experienced on behalf of the village.

The crowd dispersed, many to attend the funeral of Danzo which was to follow. "Wait, Guy," Kakashi said. "Not yet." Kakashi pushed himself to Obito's tomb and laid down the medal. "This rightly belongs to him. I will recover. I will return to the battlefield. Obito cannot, and he suffered more in his second life than any of us know."

"Kakashi," Guy said, "that thing. The one that they sealed. What was it?"

"I think it was exactly what it said it was," said Kakashi. "Envy, anger, sorrow, vengeance."

"It's sealed, though, right?" asked Guy nervously. "Or is it going to come back?"

"It'll come back, in some form or another," said Kakashi. "After all, you can't seal all the terrors of humanity."

"But you can fight them with love," said a voice behind them.

"Master Jiraiya! You're back!" Guy said.

"Jiraiya?" Kakashi asked. "How? The Kamui..."

"Obito's time-space disintegrated once both the Mangekyou had died," said Jiraiya. "Or at least, that's the working theory. Anyways, I woke up on Mount Myoboku, and here I am. How're you holding up, Kakashi?"

"As well as can be expected," said Kakashi.

Jiraiya clapped him on the shoulder sympathetically. "Oh, Obito. You never could just walk a straight path, could you, my boy?"

Kakashi laughed for the first time since the incident. "No, but he got there. I only wish I hadn't had to...help...as I did."

"It would have come to this one way or another, I imagine," said Jiraiya. "What strength of will it took to fend off that creature as he did! I doubt half of us could have done it."

"No, we could not," agreed Kakashi. "We must all learn to be as strong as Obito."

He looked up, and he thought he perceived a black cloud hovering above them, and for a moment, his heart stopped.

"Come on, my boys," said Jiraiya. "Let's celebrate the life of our friend, with some barbecue on me, eh?"

"Oh, yes, thank you!" said Guy.

"Thank you, Jiraiya," Kakashi echoed, then looked up again. The sky was clear.


End file.
